A survivor of the devastating fire at the La Constellation bar in a Swiss ski resort has described a miraculous escape, claiming a friend clutched a crucifix and was spared by the flames. The blaze broke out around 1:30am on New Year's Day during a party, killing up to 40 people and injuring up to 119.
Laetitia Place recounted that her friend, unable to exit the burning building, sat down and held a cross in his hand. She stated, 'He survived, thankfully. He managed to get out and he broke a window to escape. And the fire just avoided him. The fire just didn’t touch him.' Place expressed gratitude for her own survival and concern for missing friends.
Other survivors took extreme measures to escape, including Axel Clavier, who smashed a window using a table. He described the scene as 'total chaos' and noted that two or three of his group were missing. Families have appealed for information on several missing teenagers, including 16-year-old Arthur Brodard and 15-year-old Charlotte Niddam, who was educated in Britain.
The fire spread rapidly, with videos showing the ceiling igniting moments before the building was engulfed. Authorities have confirmed that many of the injured are in critical condition. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
