Switzerland hearth newest: King Charles ‘heartbroken’ after 40 killed in ‘horrific’ Crans Montana bar catastrophe
King Charles has paid tribute to the young victims of the Crans-Montana bar tragedy, after Swiss police confirmed around 40 people died in the tragedy.
The blast occurred at around 1.30am on Thursday at Le Constellation, a bar popular with tourists in the luxury ski resort of Crans-Montana in the Valais region, southwestern Switzerland.
Revellers were gathered at the venue to ring in the new year when the explosion struck.
“It is utterly heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families instead turned to such nightmarish tragedy,” the King said in his message to the President of Switzerland.
The commander of the Valais cantonal police said the incident has left “around 40” dead and 100 or so injured, some seriously. The exact cause of the blaze is not yet known, but officials have ruled out a terror incident.
Images published by Swiss media showed the building engulfed in flames, with footage appearing to show the bar’s ceiling rapidly catching fire.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin visited the town on Thursday and told a press conference that many of the victims are believed to be young people.
Switzerland to hold five days of mourning
Switzerland will hold five days of mourning after a fire tore through a crowded bar, killing about 40 people and injuring 115 gathered to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the Crans-Montana resort.
So severe were the burns suffered by the mostly young crowd of revellers in the Le Constellation bar that Swiss officials said it could take days before they name all the victims of the fire.
Crans-Montana is best known as an international ski and golf venue, and overnight, its crowded Le Constellation bar morphed from a scene of revelry into the site of potentially one of Switzerland’s worst tragedies.
President Guy Parmelin described the blaze as one of the most traumatic events in Switzerland’s history. “It was a drama of an unknown scale,” he said, paying tribute to the many “young lives that were lost and interrupted”.
“This Thursday must be the time of prayer, unity and dignity,” he said. “Switzerland is a strong country not because it is sheltered from drama, but because it knows how to face them with courage and a spirit of mutual help.”
Watch: Footage appears to show moment deadly fire breaks out at Le Constellation bar
Survivor searches for missing friend
One of the survivors of the Crans Montana bar tragedy recalled: “We went down the stairs, I saw one of my friends. Then we saw the fire and we immediately went up the stairs.”
She told the BBC: “I held my friend’s arm, but I climbed up the stairs and let go of his arm. He is not answering me anymore.”
“I just want to thank God for saving me. And I would ask Him to save my missing friends because it’s horrible.
“I miss them and I don’t want to lose any more people. I’ve already lost people.”
Teenager recalls breaking a window to escape the fire
One teenager who survived the blaze, described “total chaos” inside the bar.
16-year-old Axel Clavier from Paris explained that one of his friends died and a couple were missing.
He told The Associated Press he hadn’t seen the fire start, but did see waitresses arrive with Champagne bottles with sparklers, he said.
He recalled feeling like he was suffocating and hiding behind a table, before running upstairs and using a table to break a Plexiglas window.
It fell out of its casing, allowing him to escape.
He lost his jacket, shoes, phone and bank card while fleeing, but “I am still alive and it’s just stuff.”
“I’m still in shock,” he added.
Watch: Swiss president calls ski resort explosion ‘one of worst tragedies country has ever experienced’
Recap: What we know abut the Crans- Montana bar tragedy
- Approximately 40 people were killed and 115 injured during a New Year’s celebration at a bar in the Swiss Alps.
- The incident occurred at the Le Constellation bar in the Crans-Montana resort, a popular ski and golf destination.
- Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler confirmed the high number of casualties, noting that victim identification would be a lengthy process.
- The region’s attorney general Beatrice Pilloud stated that the cause of the fire is currently unknown, as investigators have not yet been able to access the site.
- Authorities have ruled out any suggestion of an attack, with the local community described as devastated by the tragedy.
Eight French citizens are missing following Le Constellation bar fire
Eight French citizens are missing following the fire that killed around 40 people and injured 115.
In a statement, the French foreign ministry said it could not rule out that French nationals were among the dead.
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to his Swiss counterpart earlier in the day to offer assistance.
Three survivors of the fire had been moved to French hospitals and further transfers were underway, the ministry added.
French footballer airlifted to hospital
A French football club has said of its youth players is among the injured and is receiving treatment in hospital.
FC Metz, based in north-east France, said 19-year-old Tahirys Dos Santos has been airlifted to a hospital in Germany after being “severely burned”.
“FC Metz is saddened to report that Tahirys Dos Santos, has been injured in the fire in Crans-Montana.
“The entire club unites its thoughts to address Tahirys, in these hours when he is fighting suffering.
“The club also wishes to give its full support to his family.”
Source: independent.co.uk
