The full horror of a New Year's Eve inferno that tore through a popular Swiss ski resort bar, killing at least 47 people, began to sink in on Tuesday as the community was shrouded in grief.
A Resort Blanketed in Sorrow
The upscale resort of Crans-Montana was a picture of mourning, with any lingering holiday atmosphere utterly obliterated. Ski runs were closed as a mark of respect, and nearly all restaurants and bars remained shuttered. Yet, in a stark contrast highlighting the Swiss economy's reliance on tourism, holidays continued at other nearby ski centres.
Bruno Huggler, head of tourism for the Valais region which includes Crans, described the profound shock felt across the community. He told the BBC that officials were grappling with how to balance a 'respectful atmosphere' for the victims' families while allowing other guests to continue their holidays, acknowledging the existence of 'two worlds' in the aftermath.
In Crans itself, locals and visitors wrapped up against the sub-zero temperatures stood in reverent silence at makeshift shrines. These stations, laden with flowers, tributes, and candles, became focal points for a community in shock.
The Search for Loved Ones
As the police cordon outside the Le Constellation bar was partially lifted, a sad procession of relatives and friends wandered past international media crews, desperately seeking news. For many, the grim reality was dawning that their loved ones, often young people in their prime, were almost certainly among the dead.
The painstaking task of identifying the more than 40 bodies continued, with many so badly burned that it may take days or even weeks for official confirmation. For families, the absence of news was tragically becoming the worst news imaginable.
One young mother, Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, 42, searched in vain for her 16-year-old son, Arthur. She carried his photo on her phone and shared a poignant final message he sent from the bar at midnight, wishing her a Happy New Year. Arthur had gone to celebrate with ten school friends; only one from their group has been found.
'My son is alone in a hospital, if he’s alive. Even if he’s in a morgue... I don’t know which morgue, I can’t be by his side,' she said, her hope fading after more than 30 hours of silence.
From Celebration to Catastrophe
Shocking video footage from inside Le Constellation before the tragedy shows how the New Year's Eve tragedy unfolded with terrifying speed. In one clip, many youngsters appear initially oblivious to the danger, even as flames raced with ferocity along the insulating foam covering the bar's low ceiling. The fire, which broke out just after midnight on January 1st, is believed to have been ignited by sparklers setting the soundproofing material alight.
The mood captured in those videos stands in heartbreaking contrast to the solemn quiet that has now fallen over Crans-Montana, where a community and a nation await answers and begin to mourn an unimaginable loss.
