Owner defends Swiss bar safety post-fire

The owner of the bar in a Swiss ski resort town ravaged by a deadly fire during New Year's Eve celebrations insisted to Swiss media Friday that safety norms had been followed.

Jacques Moretti, a Frenchman who manages the Le Constellation bar with his wife Jessica, told the Tribune de Geneve daily that the establishment had faced "three inspections in 10 years". "Everything was done according to the regulations," he said.

The question of whether safety standards were respected has raged ever since the devastating blaze erupted in the basement of the bar, killing 40 people and injuring 119, according to the toll given by police Friday.

Le Constellation, located on the ground floor of a residential building, has a capacity of 300 people, plus another 40 people on its terrace, according to the Crans-Montana website.

Several witnesses said the event space in the basement of the establishment, where the fire began, was connected with the ground floor by only a staircase, which some described as "narrow".