Italy says it has filed to be civil party in probe into Swiss bar fire that killed 41

Published on 29/04/2026 - 19:36 GMT+2

Italy's authorities said connected Wednesday that it had filed to beryllium a civilian enactment successful the transgression proceedings surrounding a devastating occurrence astatine a barroom successful Switzerland which killed 41 people, including six Italians.

The civilian assertion was prompted by "the important resources" utilized for "medical, intelligence and logistical assistance to the Italian nationals involved," the authorities said successful a statement.

The blaze astatine Le Constellation, a barroom successful the upmarket Alpine resort, broke retired successful the aboriginal hours of 1 January arsenic radical celebrated the New Year.

Prosecutors judge the New Year's Eve occurrence started erstwhile champagne bottles with sparklers attached were raised excessively adjacent to the ceiling successful the bar's basement level, igniting the sound-insulation foam.

A full of 41 people, astir of them teenagers, were killed and different 115 were injured successful the disaster.

The bar's owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, look charges successful Switzerland of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson.

They person doubly been questioned astatine magnitude by nationalist prosecutors and lawyers for the civilian parties.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed justness for Italian victims portion Italy has opened its ain probe into the occurrence adjacent arsenic the Swiss probe continues.

The Swiss probe has revealed that nary yearly information cheque had been carried retired astatine the barroom since 2019.

In its statement, the Italian authorities said that "the engagement of section authorities successful the genesis of the lawsuit is considered highly probable."

That, it said, justified "the steadfast request for compensation against each parties held civilly liable."

It said Italy would proceed to show the Swiss ineligible proceedings, portion confirming the government's "full and uninterrupted support" for the victims' families.

Earlier successful April, Meloni issued a crisp rebuke of a Swiss hospital for allegedly billing the families of immoderate of the victims.

"I spoke with our ambassador: the Swiss authorities person assured america that it was a mistake, and that the families volition not person to wage anything," Meloni wrote successful a station connected X.

"But I asked the ambassador to support the highest level of attraction to this issue, due to the fact that it would beryllium abhorrent for costs similar these to autumn connected the victims oregon connected Italy."

Meloni besides said that 1 infirmary successful Sion had demanded €70,000 for patients hospitalised for lone a fewer hours, which she called "an insult connected apical of a mockery."