Khaberni - The owners of a Swiss bar attributed the responsibility for the New Year's Eve fire that killed 40 people, to a waitress who was seen before her death in the fire carrying two flaming champagne bottles during the event.
Jack Mority and his wife Jessica Mority appeared in court last week regarding the fire at Le Constellation club in Crans-Montana, telling prosecutors, "It wasn't us, but the others," when asked about the responsibility for the fire outbreak.
The couple, accused of "manslaughter, injury and arson by negligence," blamed the waitress Cyan Banin, 24 years old, for the fire.
Jack Mority pointed out that Banin, who was wearing a black helmet, climbed on the shoulders of one of her colleagues while carrying two champagne bottles equipped with sparklers. He added, "I did not stop her from doing that, and I did not brief her on safety instructions. We didn’t realize the danger. She was enjoying the performance."
Jessica Mority explained that the waitress "loved presenting the bottles and did so willingly." She added, "Had I sensed any danger, I would have stopped her immediately. In ten years of managing the club, I never thought there was any threat."
However, Banin's family disclosed that their daughter was not supposed to work that night, but the Moritys sent her from their restaurant to the club. The family stated that the club manager asked their daughter to stay on the ground floor to greet guests and guide them to tables with a minimum spend of 900 pounds (about $1240).
The family added that the waitress complained about working long hours without a break and feeling physically and mentally exhausted. During the party, Jessica Mority asked Banin to "liven up the atmosphere" by wearing the helmet.
The surviving witnesses and the family of the waitress denied the accusations, confirming that Jessica Mority was the one who directed Banin to undertake the adventure using the bottles and the helmet.
In court, Jack Mority admitted to shortcomings in fire safety, saying, "There was no training, but staff were informed of the procedures to follow in case of a fire when they were introduced to the place."
When confronted with allegations that some employees did not know the location of fire extinguishers, he said, "Staff have different shifts and perhaps I forgot to provide them with the information... Perhaps I forgot."
The couple faces charges related to negligence linked to the deaths of 40 people and injuring more than 100 others with severe burns, and they deny all criminal and civil responsibilities, which could lead to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
