'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Relatives of Unaccounted For Teens Await News After Ski Resort Blaze
The loved ones of teenagers lost after a devastating inferno at a bar in a Switzerland's winter destination are facing an agonising period of uncertainty for confirmed information and pleading for information about their children online.
The blaze ripped through the Le Constellation bar in Cans-Montana, located in the Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the middle of the night of New Year's Day. Verified footage depict the roof structure igniting as beverages with fireworks are held aloft.
Authorities have stated that it could take considerable time to identify the those who perished of the tragedy, which resulted in the death of four dozen individuals and injured another scores more. A spokesperson noted on the latest update that 113 of the those hurt have been accounted for, with the process still underway to locate the other six.
In the waiting period, relatives have been posting on social media to request information about their loved ones who were present at the venue that fateful night.
Desperate Searches for the Unaccounted For
The whereabouts of teenager from Switzerland Arthur Brodard, a teenager, are currently unknown, according to an heartfelt request from his parent.
The who lives of Lutry near Lausanne, informed a local newspaper that she had returned to Lausanne to see if he was in the medical facility, while his father did the equivalent search in Bern, but was unsuccessful.
"This is a living nightmare, a horror. The options are finding my son in the hospital mortuary, or I find him in intensive care. It's horrific," she told the paper.
She continued that some of his peers had been located with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "It's indescribable; they experienced an absolute nightmare."
The Italian government has confirmed that six of its citizens remain missing.
Included in that group is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old promising athlete, who hailed from Italy but now residing in the UAE.
The national sporting body has stated that he is deceased, without mentioning the fire, paying tribute to a "talented young man who embodied passion and authentic values."
His father, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around the new year. An official spokesperson has clarified that a official announcement of his death is not yet.
Additional Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, 16, is also unaccounted for. His parent told reporters that he had been on holiday but had gone out with a group and found himself at the bar.
"Someone with him told me they ran away after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a certain point he they were separated," she recounted, adding he had been wearing a distinctive gold chain.
One of his teachers commented, "He was known for his kindness and smile, alongside great responsibility. Often offer to get me a coffee."
Alice Kallergis, who holds both Greek and Swiss nationality but lives permanently in Switzerland, was also at the bar on that night, according to reports.
Her brother has posted an appeal on social media, saying the family has had "no news" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Officials from her country of origin say they are continuing to monitor the situation.