Lawyers for the owners of a Swiss bar where a deadly fire broke out on New Year’s Eve that killed 40 people and injured 116 have broken their silence to denounce “lies” about their clients.
Jessica and Jacques Moretti were “devastated”, lawyers told local media, but denied they knew of any dangers in their area.
“There is a kind of public revenge directed against them,” one of the three lawyers, Yaël Hayat, said.
Initial findings from the investigation suggest the fire started when sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited the soundproof foaming that lines the ceiling of the basement of Le Constellation bar in the popular ski resort of Crans-Montana.
Authorities acknowledged that the bar had not undergone safety inspections for five years.
Most of the victims of the fire were young people – eight were under the age of 16 – and many were treated in hospital for severe burns.
Many stories about the couple, the venue they managed, as well as their background have circulated in local media since the fire, increasing pressure on authorities as they investigate the accident and pursue the owners.
In an interview with the Tribune de Geneve, the lawyers said the couple wanted to “restore the truth”.
Hayat said reports that his client Jessica left the burning building with money from the register were false, told BFMTV: “By no means did he leave the scene in haste; he remained there to help and support the wounded.”
Patrick Michod, who represents Jacques Moretti, said: “When you run an establishment and a tragedy like this happens, you feel responsible. Now, the major question in this case is the question of criminal responsibility, which apparently is not the same thing as the feelings of someone who may have such an operator.”
Asked about the ceiling foam, Michod said his client obtained the material from a “major construction retailer” that did not disclose that it was flammable.
“He didn’t want to put a highly flammable foam. He wanted to put an acoustic foam,” he said.
Lawyers representing the family of Cyane Panine, a Le Constellation employee who died in the fire, said he had not received safety training and was unaware of the danger of a ceiling on fire.
Hayat described Panine as a close friend of the couple, and took out a postcard he said he wrote to the Morettis, Reported by Tribune de Geneve.
“I hope I will continue to grow with you and that we will spend many more New Year’s Eves together (…) you are like my second family,” said the postcard.
The Moretti couple has been charged by authorities with negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent arson.
Last week, a Swiss court imposed a travel ban on Jessica Moretti as an alternative to pre-trial detention. He had to surrender his passport and had to report to the police every day.
He previously told reporters he was sorry about the “unthinkable tragedy”.
Jacques Moretti was held in custody for an initial period of 90 days. Prosecutors also argued that the couple presented a flight risk and asked judges to impose a 400,000-franc bail ($500,000; £374,000) as a condition of their release – 200,000 each.
Michod said he filed a request to release Jacques Moretti.