Families of missing teenagers have issued desperate appeals for information after a devastating fire at a Swiss ski resort bar killed around 40 people, with authorities identifying sparkler candles on champagne bottles as the probable cause.
Night of Celebration Turns to Tragedy
The fire tore through the Le Constellation bar in the upscale resort of Crans-Montana in the early hours of New Year's Day. Swiss police confirmed that approximately 40 people lost their lives, with a further 119 injured in one of the deadliest tragedies in Switzerland's recent history.
Beatrice Pilloud, chief prosecutor of the Valais canton, stated that preliminary indications suggest sparkler candles placed on champagne bottles were taken too close to the ceiling, igniting a rapid and widespread blaze. "From there, a rapid, very rapid and widespread blaze ensued," she said on Friday.
Families in Anguish as Identification Process Begins
The severity of the fire has made identifying the victims extremely difficult, forcing authorities to rely on DNA samples from families. Personal items like wallets were often completely destroyed.
Among those missing is 16-year-old Arthur Brodard from Lausanne. His mother, Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, told reporters she was living a nightmare. "I'm looking everywhere. The body of my son is somewhere," she said. "I want to know, where is my child, and be by his side, wherever that may be — be it in the intensive care unit or the morgue."
The first victim named was Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage golfer from Italy. His family is awaiting DNA confirmation, though the Italian Golf Federation has already announced his death.
Scrutiny on Safety and Heroic Acts of Rescue
Scrutiny is now intensifying over the safety arrangements at the bar. Investigations will examine whether sound-dampening material on the ceiling met regulations, if the sparklers were permitted for indoor use, and the state of fire extinguishers and escape routes.
One of the bar's owners, Jacques Moretti, told Swiss media that the establishment had been inspected three times in the past decade and all work was done according to rules.
Amid the horror, officials hailed the "heroic actions" of citizens, particularly young people, who helped save lives in the initial minutes before emergency services arrived. Valais regional government head Mathias Reynard praised their "very strong solidarity."
Witnesses described chaotic scenes of people smashing windows to escape and a crowd surge as patrons tried to flee the basement nightclub up a single flight of stairs. An impromptu memorial of candles and flowers has grown near the charred remains of Le Constellation as the community mourns.
