Paris, Jan 10 (EFE). - The French co-owners of the 'Le Constellation' bar, where the New Year's fire that killed 40 young people in the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans Montana occurred, stated in their first declaration to investigators that they experienced the incident as 'the tragedy' of their lives and defended their management of the establishment. In their statement, made just ten hours after the fire and revealed by French television channel BMFTV, Jacques Moretti and his wife, Jessica Moretti, expressed deep distress over what happened at the 'La Constellation' bar, which they jointly operated with another establishment in the Alpine town. During this first hearing, investigators questioned the couple about the safety of the bar, purchased in 2015 with a maximum capacity of 300 people, according to him, which they completely renovated, including the basement ceiling foam, which was already there but which they replaced with the one that appears to be there after the incident. There was a main exit and an emergency exit at the back, both clearly signposted, he stated. 'The fire department carried out two or three fire inspections' in ten years of operation of the establishment, without requiring 'any request for renewal or modification of the facilities,' noted Jacques Moretti, pointing out that they had fire extinguishers but no automatic sprinkler system in case of fire, and acknowledged that employees had not received training in case of fire. Regarding the Bengalas that apparently caused the tragedy by igniting the ceiling foam, he acknowledged, like his wife, that it was common practice, 'for example, on customers' birthdays.' They also said that 'it was not the first time' waitresses climbed on waiters' shoulders with the Bengalas in bottles. I immediately shouted: 'Everyone out! Suddenly I felt a movement in the crowd (...) I saw an orange light in the corner of the bar.
