The waitress blamed for igniting the deadly New Year fire in a Swiss bar was involved in a bitter employment dispute with its owners and was by no means their friend, her family have revealed.
Cyane Panine, a 24-year-old French woman, died in the inferno at Le Constellation, in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, after she was filmed holding two champagne bottles fitted with sparklers while sitting on a colleague’s shoulders.
The pyrotechnics are said to have set fire to foam used for soundproofing in the basement ceiling, leading to the deaths of 40 people and seeing 116 others horrifically burned.
Jacques and Jessica Moretti, the bar’s owners, are facing trial for multiple charges, including ‘manslaughter by negligence,’ and have continually claimed that Cyane was like a ‘step-daughter’ and ‘sister’ to them.
But Sophie Haenni, a lawyer for Cyane’s family, on Wednesday told the BFM TV news channel this was false.
Instead, Cyane had contacted ‘the workers’ protection service’ over her employment conditions and was demanding ‘a contract, her work certificate, and her salary certificate’.
She was entitled to all of these documents under Swiss law, but the Morettis appeared reluctant to give them to her, or to pay her a decent wage.
Mr Moretti, who is in pre-trial detention for at least the next three months and who has also served time for previous criminal convictions, including pimping, was regularly accused of exploiting staff.
Cyane and the Morettis were said to have addressed each other formally in messages, while the 24-year-old also complained of ‘orders’ given to her by Ms Moretti.
+11
View gallery
Cyane Panine, 24, was one of 40 people who died in the New Years Eve inferno
+11
View gallery
High-quality photographs show the very first moments of the Swiss Constellation Bar fire in Crans-Montana
