A devastating fire at a popular Swiss ski resort bar in the early hours of New Year's Day has left up to 40 people dead and scores injured, with one survivor describing a 'miracle escape' by a friend who clutched a crucifix as flames raged around him.
Eyewitness Accounts of Chaos and Survival
The blaze broke out at around 1:30am on January 1 inside the La Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, which was packed with revellers celebrating New Year's Eve. Terrifying footage shows the fire taking hold and spreading across the ceiling in a matter of seconds, with partygoers initially filming on their phones before a desperate scramble for safety began.
Survivor Laetitia Place gave a harrowing account, stating that a male friend, trapped with no clear exit, 'sat down and held his cross in his hand'. She claimed that as he did so, the fire 'just avoided him', allowing him to survive untouched before he smashed a window to escape. 'I just want to thank the Lord for saving me,' Ms Place said, adding that she was still searching for missing friends and that others were in hospital.
Desperate Measures to Escape the Inferno
Other survivors recounted the extreme lengths they went to in order to flee the burning building. Axel Clavier described using a table to smash a window out of its frame to break free from the 'total chaos' inside. He was among the lucky ones, noting that two or three from his group remained missing.
Official figures state that alongside the tragic death toll, up to 119 people were injured, many rushed to hospital with some in a critical condition. The scale of the tragedy has sent shockwaves through the community and the wider skiing world.
Families Appeal for Missing Loved Ones
In the aftermath, families have issued desperate appeals for information regarding missing young people, many of whom are teenagers. Among those named as missing are Swiss nationals Arthur Brodard, 16, Achille Barosi, 16, and Giovanni Tamburi, 16. Also missing are sisters Alicia and Diana Gonset, aged 15 and 14, 15-year-old Brit-educated Charlotte Niddam Alice Kallergis, Emilie Pralong, 22, and Stiven Ivanovski.
The search for answers and accountability continues as Swiss authorities investigate the cause of one of the deadliest nightlife fires in the country's recent history.
