Nicolas Féraud, the mayor of Crans-Montana, emerged from a courthouse in Sion on April 15 following a grueling 11-hour interrogation. The questioning is part of a widening criminal probe into the New Year’s Eve tragedy at the Le Constellation venue, where a catastrophic explosion and subsequent fire left 41 people dead and 115 others injured.
The disaster, which sent shockwaves across Europe, has shifted from a scene of immediate chaos to a complex legal battle over administrative negligence and public safety failures. At the heart of the current investigation is a staggering revelation: no safety inspections had been conducted at the venue since 2019. Féraud, who is among nine individuals under investigation, claims he was unaware of this lapse until days after the tragedy occurred.
As the judicial process unfolds in the Swiss canton of Valais, the investigation has crossed international borders. The owners of the bar, the Moretti couple, are facing separate charges in Italy. The Rome prosecutor’s office has cited the couple for multiple manslaughter, culpable disaster, and aggravated injuries resulting from the violation of workplace safety regulations.
A ‘Galaxy’ of Responsibility and Missing Answers
The interrogation in Sion aimed to pinpoint where the chain of command broke down. While Féraud’s legal team attempted to frame the mayor as a leader who provided all requested resources, the families of the victims remain unconvinced. The discrepancy lies in the six-year gap in safety oversight—a period during which the venue continued to operate despite the lack of official certification.
Christian Delaloye, representing the mayor, described the 11-hour session as a “rather painful ordeal” but stated that Féraud felt relieved to correct “false information” that had been circulating. Yet, when pressed by journalists on why annual safety checks were ignored in the municipality, Delaloye was unable to provide a concrete explanation, stating, “answer because we do not know.”
The defense maintains that the municipal council acted in good faith regarding staffing. Delaloye insisted that “every time further resources were requested by those in charge of security, the municipal council granted these requests for personnel.”
For the legal representatives of the victims, these explanations are insufficient. Alain Viscolo, an attorney for the civil parties, criticized the bureaucratic structure of Crans-Montana, describing it as a “galaxy of people” where many hold titles of responsibility but few are held accountable for actual failures.
“Regarding Mr. Nicolas Féraud, I do not believe he has convinced us; he has convinced no one, except perhaps himself,” Viscolo said. “In any case, we have received no answer to the essential question: why, for six years, were no checks carried out?”
The Path Toward Negligence
The legal strategy for the victims is now focusing on the “dynamics of negligence.” Romain Jordan, another lawyer representing several bereaved families, characterized the mayor’s testimony as a mixture of pragmatism, and evasion. While Jordan noted that Féraud was more realistic regarding certain aspects of the case file, he remained dissatisfied with the overall responses.
The investigation is now expanding to include current and former members of the municipal council to determine if the lack of inspections was a systemic failure or the result of specific individual oversights. The charges against Féraud and others include manslaughter, negligent injury, and arson.
| Entity/Person | Jurisdiction | Primary Allegations |
|---|---|---|
| Nicolas Féraud (Mayor) | Sion, Switzerland | Manslaughter, negligent injury, arson |
| Moretti Couple (Owners) | Rome, Italy | Multiple manslaughter, culpable disaster, safety violations |
| Municipal Council Members | Sion, Switzerland | Administrative negligence (under investigation) |
Political Stakes and the 2038 Olympic Bid
The tragedy occurs at a precarious time for the region. Crans-Montana is currently positioning itself as a primary candidate to host the 2038 Winter Olympics. The revelation of a six-year safety vacuum in one of its most prominent venues raises significant questions about the municipality’s ability to manage the infrastructure and safety requirements of a global sporting event.
The political fallout is expected to intensify as the investigation reveals more about the internal communications of the Valais regional authorities. The memory of the 41 young victims continues to drive the demand for a transparent accounting of how such a basic safety requirement—an annual inspection—could be ignored for over half a decade.
Disclaimer: This report covers ongoing criminal proceedings. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For those affected by the loss of a loved one or struggling with the aftermath of a tragedy, support is available through the Befrienders Worldwide network or local mental health crisis services.
The next phase of the inquiry will involve a series of scheduled depositions with former council members to determine the exact date the safety lapse began and who was notified of the vacancy in inspections. Official updates from the Sion prosecutor’s office are expected following the conclusion of these testimonies.
We invite readers to share their thoughts on municipal accountability in the comments below.
