'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Relatives of Unaccounted For Teenagers Await Answers After Ski Resort Fire
The families of young people missing after a deadly blaze at a establishment in a Swiss alpine town are confronting an agonising period of uncertainty for confirmed information and requesting any details about their family members online.
The blaze engulfed the Le Constellation bar in Cans-Montana, located in the Swiss Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the small hours of the first day of the year. Verified footage depict the roof structure catching alight as bottles with sparklers are held aloft.
Authorities have indicated that it could take days if not weeks to formally name the those who perished of the fire, which killed 40 people and hurt another 119. A spokesperson said on Friday that 113 of the those hurt have been identified, with work ongoing to name the final individuals.
In the interim, families and friends have been using online platforms to plead for any news about their missing relatives who were in attendance that evening.
Heartbreaking Pleas for the Missing
The whereabouts of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, are currently unknown, according to an heartfelt request from his parent.
The who lives of a town near the city, informed a publication that she had returned to Lausanne to see if he was in the hospital, while his father did the equivalent search in the capital, but could not find him.
"It feels like a terrible dream, a nightmare. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in intensive care. It's horrific," she told the paper.
She explained that some of his companions had been located with burns covering a significant portion of their bodies. "There are no words; they experienced a terrifying ordeal."
The Italian government has said that a number of of its nationals have not been located.
Included in that group is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old promising athlete, who hailed from Genoa but now living in Dubai.
The national sporting body has released a tribute that he is dead, without directly referencing the tragedy, paying tribute to a "talented young man who embodied passion and true sportsmanship."
His parent, told media that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around the new year. An official spokesperson has stated that a formal confirmation of his death is not yet.
Further Missing Individuals
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is likewise unaccounted for. His parent explained that he had been on vacation but had ventured out with a group and ended up at the venue.
"A close friend informed me they fled after the fire erupted and that he had his mobile with him, but then at a certain point he lost sight of him," she recounted, adding he had been wearing a distinctive gold chain.
One of his educators stated, "I remember his kindness and positive demeanor, combined with great responsibility. He would frequently offer to get me a coffee."
Alice Kallergis, who holds both Greek and Swiss nationality but lives permanently in the country, was also present on that night, according to reports.
Her brother has shared an appeal online, saying the family has had "no updates" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also reported missing.
Officials from her other nation say they are closely watching the case.