A heroic father has been credited with saving the lives of at least ten young people after a devastating fire tore through a packed nightclub in a luxury Swiss ski resort on New Year's Eve.
A Desperate Call for Help
The drama unfolded in the early hours of New Year's Day at Le Constellation nightclub in the upmarket resort of Crans-Montana. Paolo Campolo, a 55-year-old Swiss-Italian financial analyst, was alerted to the danger by a desperate phone call from his daughter, who was among the panicked revellers trapped inside as flames engulfed the basement.
Mr Campolo raced from his home in the town to the scene, where he found the main entrance blocked by a crush of people desperately trying to escape the roaring flames and thick smoke.
Forcing an Escape Route
Displaying immense courage and presence of mind, Campolo identified a side emergency exit. He then forced the door open, prizing it apart just enough to create a vital escape route for those trapped inside.
His actions allowed a stream of terrified young party-goers, including tourists from across Europe, to scramble to safety. The nightclub was particularly popular with teenagers and young adults, many of whom were caught in the inferno.
The Tragic Aftermath and a Father's Trauma
The heroic act came at a personal cost. Mr Campolo is now in hospital being treated for smoke inhalation. Speaking from his hospital bed to the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, he described the harrowing scene he confronted.
"There were several bodies all around. Alive but burnt. Some conscious, others not," he said. "They were begging for help in several languages. They were very young."
He added that the most haunting memory was "The lucid desperation of those who know they're dying. Burned people looking at you and asking you not to leave them there. It's something that never goes away."
The fire has resulted in dozens of fatalities and left more than 100 people injured. Police commander Frédéric Gisler of the Valais region confirmed the injured include 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French, and 11 Italians, alongside citizens from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland. The nationalities of 14 people remain unclear.
Among those still missing is a 15-year-old British-educated teenager, Charlotte Niddam, who studies in Hertfordshire. Friends have launched emotional appeals on social media to find her.
The owners of Le Constellation, Jacques Moretti and his wife Jessica, said they "can't eat or sleep" following the tragedy and stressed that "everything had been done according to regulation" for the event.
