At least 47 people have been killed and 115 injured in a devastating fire at a ski resort in Switzerland, as desperate parents scour hospitals searching for missing children. The blaze tore through Le Constellation, a basement venue in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana, shortly after midnight on New Year's Eve.
Distressing footage shows revellers inside the crowded bar holding champagne sparklers, which are believed to have ignited material on the ceiling. The venue had wooden furnishings and foam-style ceiling material, with only one narrow staircase for escape. Police have not yet disclosed the cause of the fire.
Parents have been searching for their children, with many calling all hospitals in the area. One mother said she had been unable to find her missing 16-year-old son. Alexis, an 18-year-old who was outside the club, told local media: 'It was a real flame coming out. People were running through these flames. You could see the shadows. People were trying to break the glass with chairs.'
Survivors described harrowing scenes. One young man told the BBC: 'I saw people burning... from head to foot, no clothes anymore. It was very shocking.' His brothers managed to escape without serious injuries. More than 100 others suffered injuries, some life-threatening.
Another witness, 21-year-old Alex, said he saw people in their underwear, burned, and recalled a 'smell of gas, of melted plastic'. He added: 'It sent a chill down my spine to think that there were possibly still 50 people trapped inside.' Switzerland has declared five days of national mourning.
