'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Families of Missing Teenagers Await News After Alpine Blaze
The relatives of teens missing after a deadly fire at a bar in a Switzerland's alpine town are confronting an agonising period of uncertainty for confirmed information and appealing for any details about their family members online.
The inferno ripped through the Le Constellation bar in Cans-Montana, located in the Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the early hours of New Year's Day. Verified images reveal the roof structure being engulfed in flames as bottles with sparklers are held aloft.
Officials have stated that it could take considerable time to formally name the victims of the disaster, which claimed the lives of 40 people and hurt another scores more. Authorities said on Friday that 113 of the injured have been accounted for, with work ongoing to identify the other six.
In the interim, families and friends have been using the internet to appeal for clues about their missing relatives who were present at the venue that night.
Heartbreaking Pleas for the Unaccounted For
The whereabouts of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, are still unconfirmed, according to an appeal from his mother.
The who lives of Lutry near Lausanne, told a local newspaper that she had returned to Lausanne to check whether he was in the medical facility, while his father did the equivalent search in the capital, but could not find him.
"I'm living a nightmare, a horror. Either I find my son in the hospital mortuary, or I find him in intensive care. Words cannot describe it," she said.
She added that some of his companions had been found with burns covering a significant portion of their bodies. "There are no words; they endured hell."
The Italian foreign ministry has confirmed that a number of of its young people have not been located.
One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage junior golfer, originally from Italy but now living in Dubai.
The national sporting body has stated that he is no longer with us, without directly referencing the tragedy, paying tribute to a "young athlete who carried with him dedication and authentic values."
His parent, reportedly stated that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around midnight. An official spokesperson has clarified that a formal confirmation of his death is not yet.
Further Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also unaccounted for. His mother explained that he had been on vacation but had ventured out with a group and found himself at the bar.
"Someone with him said they escaped after the fire erupted and that he had his mobile with him, but then at a specific moment he lost sight of him," she said, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.
One of his teachers commented, "I've always been struck by his good nature and positive demeanor, alongside great maturity. Every time offer to help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek citizenship but lives permanently in the country, was also at the bar on New Year's Eve, according to reports.
Her brother has published an appeal on social media, saying the family has had "no news" regarding the 15-year-old or the three friends she was with, who are also reported missing.
Consular authorities from her other nation say they are closely watching the developments.