Constellation, Italian PMs in Switzerland: investigation accelerates, nine under investigation

The cooperation between Italy and Switzerland takes a first operational step in the investigation into the fire of the Constellation of Crans-Montana, which claimed the lives of 41 people, including six young Italians. The public prosecutors from Rome will be in Sion on Wednesday and Thursday to examine and select the documents from the Swiss investigation deemed useful for the proceedings opened at Piazzale Clodio for negligent disaster, negligent homicide, and injuries.

This marks the beginning of the collaboration path outlined on February 19 in Bern during the meeting between the chief prosecutor of Rome Francesco Lo Voi and the attorney general of Valais Béatrice Pilloud. The activity falls within the scope of international judicial assistance, but does not yet constitute a joint investigative team, a scenario hoped for at the end of January by the President of the Council Giorgia Meloni.

The climate of cooperation and its developments will also depend on the diplomatic repercussions, starting from a possible rapprochement between the two countries and the return to Bern of ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado, recalled to Rome last January 24.

The Italian magistrates, accompanied by personnel from the mobile squad, the firefighters, and the liaison officers from the embassy, arrive at a phase of acceleration of the Swiss investigation. On Wednesday, the hearing of a key witness is scheduled: Rozerin Ozkaytan, a photographer from the venue who survived the fire after weeks in a coma.

From the investigative file, which exceeds 3,500 pages, a new element also emerges: one of the two emergency exits, on the ground floor, was reportedly closed with a bolt just moments before the fire. This hypothesis is based on an analysis of the images from the internal cameras. A 31-second video would show that at 1:26, an employee opens the door to let in a man, who then would have handled the bolt. Immediately after, pyrotechnic candles linked to bottles of champagne would have been lit; one of these would have ignited the ceiling fire, covered with highly flammable sound-absorbing material.

The possible blockage of the emergency exit, which would have hindered the escape of customers, remains one of the central issues of the investigation. The owner of the discobar, Jessica Moretti, claimed that the door was intended for staff and was never closed, a version confirmed by her husband Jacques. In contrast, the testimony of the bouncer Jankovic Predrag indicated that he heard opposing instructions, with a request to keep the doors closed.

In the coming weeks, further progress in the investigations coordinated by Deputy Prosecutor Catherine Seppey is expected. So far, there are nine people under investigation for involuntary manslaughter, bodily injury, and involuntary arson. On April 7, Jacques Moretti will be questioned again, while the last individuals added to the register of the accused will be heard: five municipal officials, including the mayor of Crans-Montana Nicolas Féraud.