Authorities have acknowledged that the bar had not undergone safety checks for five years.<\/p>\n
Most of the victims of the fire were young – eight were under the age of 16 – and many are being treated in hospital for severe burns.<\/p>\n
Many stories about the couple, the venue they managed, as well as their past have circulated in the local media since the fire, increasing pressure on the authorities as they investigate the accident and prosecute the owners.<\/p>\n
In an interview with Tribune de Geneve,, external<\/a> the lawyers said the couple wanted to “restore the truth”.<\/p>\n Hayat said reports her client Jessica had left the burning building with cash from the register were a lie, telling BFMTV, external<\/a>: “In no way did she leave the scene in a hurry; she stayed there to help and support the injured.”<\/p>\n Patrick Michod, representing Jacques Moretti, said: “When you run an establishment and a tragedy like this occurs, you feel responsible. Now, the major question in this case is the question of criminal responsibility, which is obviously not the same thing as the feelings one may have as the operator.”<\/p>\n Asked about the foam in the ceiling, Michod said his client obtained the material from a “major construction retailer” which did not disclose that it was flammable. <\/p>\n “He did not want to install a highly flammable foam. He wanted to install acoustic foam,” he said. <\/p>\n Lawyers representing the family of Cyane Panine, a staff member at Le Constellation who died in the blaze, said she had received no safety training and was unaware of the danger posed by the ceiling that caught fire<\/a>. <\/p>\n