A young waitress, seen in footage wearing a crash helmet and holding sparklers moments before a devastating fire, has been named among the 40 people killed in a Swiss nightclub on New Year's Eve. The tragedy occurred at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana in the early hours of 1 January 2026.
The Final Moments Before the Inferno
Cyane Panine, 24, has been identified as the woman in the helmet, according to Swiss media. Photos and videos from the night show her sitting on a colleague's shoulders, holding two champagne bottles with sparklers attached. The flames from these sparklers are believed to have ignited soundproofing foam in the ceiling, triggering a massive blaze that killed 40 young people and severely burned 116 others.
The bar's owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who viewed Cyane as a stepdaughter, provided a harrowing account to investigators. Jessica Moretti, 40, stated she had encouraged Cyane to "get the atmosphere going". This led to waitresses placing sparklers in bottles, with some being lifted onto shoulders in the basement.
Desperate Rescue Attempt and Tragic Discovery
Jacques Moretti, 49, recounted forcing open a service door that was locked from the inside after the fire took hold. He discovered Cyane suffocated "in a pile of bodies" behind it. "When the door opened, several people were lying on the floor, unconscious. My stepdaughter Cyane was one of them," he said.
Moretti and Cyane's boyfriend, whom the couple had raised, attempted to resuscitate her for over an hour in the street until emergency services declared it too late. Meanwhile, Jessica Moretti told investigators she escaped with the till and drove home, later stating she was "devastated" by the loss of Cyane, who had spent Christmas with them.
Legal Repercussions and Family Statement
The legal aftermath is now unfolding. Jacques Moretti is currently in custody, while his wife has been bailed with an electronic bracelet. The couple await a potential trial on charges including manslaughter and causing bodily harm by negligence.
In a statement issued through lawyers and reported by Tages-Anzeiger, Cyane Panine's family absolved her of any blame. "Whatever the investigation reveals, this young woman followed her employers’ instructions... This young employee bears no responsibility whatsoever," the statement read. The investigation continues into one of Switzerland's deadliest nightclub fires in recent history.
