While everyone around the world was celebrating and making resolutions for the upcoming new year, a group of people was left with only a tragedy to remember. Unfortunately, a fire broke out in the ski resort bar, Le Constellation, in the town of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, traumatizing those who were present. A party to ring in the new year turned tragic as a fire, caused by sparklers, left 119 people injured and 40 dead.
According to Billy Stockwell and Barbie Latza Nadeau of CNN, the deadly fire broke out around 1:30 am local time, when the bar was packed. Doha Mandani on NBC News says, “Valais canton police finished identifying 40 people who died at Le Constellation bar in the Swiss Alps on Thursday night.” Officers provided the ages and nationalities of the victims, who range from 14 to 39 years old. Included among the dead were several teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 years old, many of whom were from France or Italy.
In an article written for the New York Times by Ségolène Le Stradic and Aurelien Breeden, they reported that many survivors suffered from severe burns. Twenty-year-old Danilo Janjic suffered burns to his cheeks, forehead, nose, and ears. “His hands are buried in layers of bandages, his face covered in ointments. Doctors have assured him that, with time and surgery, the burns will heal.” “‘I’m going to be scarred for life,’” Janjic told the Times.
The teen’s name, 17-year-old Ebenezer Mehari, was reported by Doha Mandani at NBC News, who reported that he told them that he lost 4 of his friends to the fire and that he was blinded by thick smoke that kept evolving in the club while he was being pulled to safety by a stranger.
Mandani also reported that police began an investigation into the managers of the bar in the ski resort who are suspected of “negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and causing fire by negligence.” The police’s goal is to investigate the safety measures that were in place during the fire, while examining the soundproofing material on the ceiling that is believed to be the source of the fire.
After this event, citizens of Crans Monatana held multiple events to mourn the victims of the disaster. This is a horrible event that Switzerland will remember for the rest of the year.
