Desperate families are enduring an agonising wait for news of their loved ones after a catastrophic fire ripped through a popular bar in a Swiss ski resort in the early hours of New Year's Day. The blaze at the Constellation Bar in the upmarket resort of Crans-Montana claimed at least 40 lives, with many victims believed to be teenagers.
Heartbreaking Searches for Missing Teenagers
Among those clinging to hope is Laetitia Broadard-Sitre, a 42-year-old housewife whose 16-year-old son, Arthur, has been missing since the disaster began. Arthur had sent his mother a text message shortly after midnight to wish her a Happy New Year. Fighting back tears near the fire-ravaged site, she told reporters: "It's an unbearable wait. I won't stop searching, I won't give up."
The tragedy has left a trail of shattered families across Europe. Relatives of missing sisters Diana Gonset, 14, and Alicia Gonset, 15, have turned to social media, sharing photos and pleading for information. They are thought to have been in the bar with Charlotte Niddam, a 15-year-old who previously attended Emmanuel College, a private Jewish school in Watford, UK.
Other families have issued heartbreaking appeals. Melissa Rey is searching for her sister Caroline, who vanished with friends Mariam Essouri and Emilie Pralong. The family of 15-year-old Alice Kallergis, whose brother Romain reported seeing children as young as 13 in the bar, are also awaiting news. The mother of 16-year-old Giovanni Tamburi from Bologna stated: "We're calling all the hospitals, but nobody knows anything, especially since the patients are in terrible condition."
Official Investigation Points to Sparklers as Cause
Swiss authorities have confirmed the fire, which occurred around 90 minutes into the new year, was likely caused by party sparklers. Valais attorney general Beatrice Pilloud explained that "sparkler candles, otherwise known as flares, which were placed on top of champagne bottles" were taken too close to the ceiling. This triggered a "flashover incident, where the fire spread very rapidly."
Disturbing footage from inside the bar shows a flaming sparkler being carried inches from a ceiling that appeared to be made of sound-absorbing foam. Other video shows revellers continuing to sing and dance, seemingly unaware of the spreading inferno. Officials have opened a criminal investigation and are examining whether the bar breached its 300-person capacity and lacked adequate exits.
The bar's owners, French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, have been interviewed as persons called to give information. Ms Pilloud confirmed investigators are looking into potential charges of "fire by negligence, homicide by negligence and injuries by negligence."
Mounting Toll and Community Mourning
The human cost of the disaster continues to rise. Swiss officials stated that 119 people are being treated in hospital, with 80 still in a critical condition. They warned the death toll may increase and said identifying all victims through DNA testing could take days.
The injured include nationals from across Europe: 71 Swiss, 14 French, 11 Italian, four Serbs, alongside citizens from Bosnia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Poland, and Portugal. The nationality of 14 others remains unknown. Investigations to identify the dead involve authorities from Switzerland, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, the Philippines, the Congo, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey.
Amid the horror, stories of heroism have emerged. Ferdinand Du Beaudiez, a 19-year-old student from Paris, described re-entering the burning bar multiple times to rescue people. "I found someone laying in the stairs. This person was completely burned... I could only see teeth," he recounted, adding the scene was "like a war scene." His brother remains in a coma.
The community of Crans-Montana plans to hold a memorial ceremony on January 9. A book of condolences will be opened online from Saturday, and the Pope has sent a message of support to the grieving families and nation.
