A WAITRESS thought to have accidentally started the huge Swiss bar blaze has been confirmed as one of 40 people killed by the fire.
Cyane Panine, 24, was “like family” to the owners of Le Constellation, who saw her as a “stepdaughter”.
Cyane Panine was a waitress at Le Constellation in Switzerland, where she died in a huge fireCredit: Refer to source
Panine sits on her colleagues shoulders holding two sparklers, before the fire startedCredit: Enterprise
Panine has been identified as the waitress holding sparklers close to the ceiling, which is thought to have started the fireCredit: Doug Seeburg
The French waitress’ death was reported earlier this month, but interrogation transcripts seen by Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger identified Cyane as the waitress believed to have ignited the fire.
Pics showed the 24-year-old wearing a helmet and holding huge sparklers before the ceiling of the bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, caught fire on New Year’s Eve.
The huge blaze that followed killed 40 partygoers and injured more than 100, many of whom suffered serious burns.
Cyane, carrying two lit sparklers and sat on her colleagues shoulders, was working on the instructions of bar owners Jacques and Jessica Moretti, 20minuten reported.
Read more in world news
FIRE FURY
Swiss bar owner ‘admits emergency exit was LOCKED from inside’ during deadly fire
FIRE FURY
Swiss ski bar owners ‘destroyed evidence as NYE fire raged’ killing 40
She had been encouraged by her boss Jessica to “get the atmosphere going”.
Speaking through lawyers, the 24-year-old’s family said: “Whatever the investigation reveals, this young woman followed her employer’s instructions.
“She did what the manager asked of her. This was nothing unusual. This young employee bears no responsibility whatsoever.”
The Morettis said they considered Cyane to be a member of their family – the waitress had spent Christmas with the couple just days before her death.
Most read in The US Sun
TRICKED INTO HELL
WON’T TALK
‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN’
‘HELP US’
Jessica said the night was “very quiet” to begin with, with hardly anyone in at midnight to celebrate the New Year, according to police statements obtained by BFMTV.
She said: “I was just telling Cyane that we needed to bring in more people to liven things up.”
Jacques Moretti said that the bar had used the bottle sparklers for a decade without accidents.
While the staff did not sit on colleagues’ shoulders every time sparklers were used, New Year’s Eve wasn’t the first time it had happened.
Owner Jacques revealed last week that Cyane had suffocated after being trapped behind a locked service door.
He told investigators that he found a pile of bodies on the floor when he unlocked the door after the deadly blaze, one of which was waitress Cyane.
He said: “Her boyfriend and I tried to resuscitate her outside on the street for more than an hour until the paramedics told us it was too late.”
Jacques said he only found out the door she was trapped behind was “locked from the inside and on a latch” after the fire.
He is now in custody, facing a range of charges including manslaughter by negligence.
Jacques will spend at least the next three months in prison after he was deemed a flight risk, before a trial in March.
Jessica Moretti is alleged to have driven home as quickly as possible after the fire, taking the till full of cash with her.
She is also under investigation.
Investigators have now established that 34 of the 40 victims died on the single staircase leading up from the basement.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
“This amounts to 85 per cent of the dead,” said one enquiry source.
“They were trapped on the tiny staircase as everyone fought to get out, but they were unable to escape.”
Moments after the ceiling caught fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-MontanaCredit: Doug Seeburg
Sparklers in champagne bottles caused an inferno which killed 40 in the early hours of New Year’s DayCredit: Doug Seeburg
News
“EVERYONE HOPEFUL… UNTIL SH4RK C4VE REVEALED THE TRUTH”
“JUST HOURS AGO, THE SH4RK C4VE TRAGEDY REACHED ITS SHOCKING END”The desperate search in the Maldives has finally concluded — and authorities have confirmed the worst.The missing tourists have been recovered from the pitch-black depths of the infamous Shark Cave, ending the agonizing days of hope and fear.Rescue teams risked everything to bring closure, but […]
“THE LAST MOMENTS NO ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO SEE…”
“5 MINUTES BEFORE DISASTER, HE WENT IN…”A haunting video has emerged showing the final moments of the elite military diver just before he entered the deadly Maldives cave.The footage captures his tense preparation, the fear in the water, and the eerie calm before tragedy struck.Viewers are calling it “chilling,” “unforgettable,” and “impossible to look away […]
THE FINAL HOURS THAT SHOCKED UTAH — KOURI RICHINS’ LIFE SENTENCE
🛑 “YOU THOUGHT YOU GOT AWAY WITH IT” — KOURI RICHINS SENTENCED TO LIFE 💔 The Utah trial has concluded, and Kouri Richins has been sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors revealed chilling details about the final hours before her husband’s death — including the cocktail she allegedly handed him inside their home. But the […]
🚨 “YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE A MOTHER” — FATHER-IN-LAW’S ALLEGED OUTBURST ROCKS KOURI RICHINS CASE 😳
😡 FURIOUS FATHER-IN-LAW BLASTS KOURI RICHINS: “YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE A MOTHER!”💔 In a shocking development surrounding the tragic Kouri Richins case, authorities report that her father-in-law allegedly yelled at her, claiming she did not deserve the title of mother. The tense confrontation has left family members and investigators stunned, highlighting the deep and […]
😨 THE CLUE THAT HAUNTS INVESTIGATORS AFTER FAMILY TRAGEDY 🕵️♂️
🛑 DISTURBING CLUE LEFT BEHIND AFTER FAMILY MASSACRE 💔 The Houston neighborhood is still reeling from a horrific family massacre. But investigators say what truly sent chills down their spines was the haunting clue the wife left behind inside the house. The final detail, uncovered in the case file, is disturbing enough to shock even […]
WHEN THE MUSIC STOPPED AT 5:25 PM… RIVER OAKS HELD ITS BREATH.
🕊️ THE SILENCE OF RIVER OAKS: WHAT HAPPENED AT 5:25 PM? 🚪 Houston’s most prestigious neighborhood is still reeling after the grim discovery inside a Kingston Drive mansion. What looked like the perfect life — a visionary 52-year-old father and his unstoppable 39-year-old wife — hid a horrifying truth behind mahogany doors. Police called it […]
End of content
No more pages to load
