Families are enduring an agonising wait for news as Swiss authorities continue to search for seven people, most of them teenagers, missing after a catastrophic fire ripped through a popular bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve. The blaze, which officials have confirmed was caused by sparklers, killed approximately 40 people and injured more than 100 others.
Desperate Search for the Missing
The inferno broke out at the Le Constellation bar at around 1.30am on New Year's Day. Witnesses reported seeing waiting staff enter the building with champagne and flares moments before the fire took hold, forcing terrified survivors to smash windows in a frantic bid to escape. In the devastating aftermath, seven individuals have been confirmed missing, with their loved ones launching urgent appeals for information across social media and to local media outlets.
Among the youngest missing is 16-year-old Arthur Brodard. His mother, Laetitia, told BFMTV she had been searching for him "for over 30 hours" after checking every local hospital. The teen had booked a table at Le Constellation to celebrate with ten school friends, only one of whom has been located. "He could be anywhere," his desperate mother said.
Families Issue Heartfelt Appeals
The missing also include sisters Alicia and Diana Gonset, aged 15 and 14, and 15-year-old Alice Kallergis, a Greek national with Swiss permanent residence whose brother has pleaded online for information. From Italy, the family of 16-year-old Giovanni Tamburi are in anguish after calling all hospitals without success. "We don't know if he's among the dead. We don't know if he's among the missing. They don't tell us anything!" his mother Carla Masielli told media.
French national Émilie Pralong, 22, is also unaccounted for. Her grandfather Pierre made a public appeal for witnesses, describing her tattoos including a glass of wine on her left arm. Macedonian national Stiven Ivanovski, last seen wearing white trousers and a sweater, completes the list of those sought by distraught families.
Investigation into the Tragedy
Swiss authorities have launched a major investigation into the cause of the fire, which one local politician noted was attended primarily by young adults. Officials have swiftly confirmed that sparklers used in the New Year celebrations were the cause of the deadly blaze. The managers of the Le Constellation bar have been interviewed as part of the ongoing probe, while forensic work continues to formally identify the victims.
The community in Crans-Montana and across Switzerland is reeling from the scale of the loss on what should have been a night of celebration. The tragedy underscores the devastating speed with which fire can spread in crowded venues, turning festivities into a nightmare. As the identification process continues, the focus remains on supporting the injured and providing answers to the families still waiting for news of their missing loved ones.
