Swiss authorities and relatives continued desperate searches on Saturday for three teenage girls missing after a deadly fire tore through a crowded New Year’s Eve party at a bar in the Alpine ski town of Crans-Montana.
Foreign Ministry officials said 15-year-old Charlotte Needham, who also holds French and British citizenship and is believed to have moved with her family to Switzerland, has been unaccounted for since the disaster. She previously attended Emmanuel College, a private Jewish school in Hertfordshire, England, which issued a statement urging its community to “unite in support of Charlotte and her family” and saying, “We are all praying for a miracle.”
Also missing are sisters Alicia and Diana Gunst, aged 15 and 14, respectively, who are of Italian Jewish origin. Their family issued urgent appeals on social media for any information that could help locate them. Authorities said there is serious concern for the welfare of all three girls.
In the latest official update, Swiss police said about 40 people have died in the blaze and at least 119 others were wounded, some critically. Earlier, local authorities confirmed the identification of four more victims — two Swiss women, ages 21 and 16, and two Swiss men, 16 and 18. On Friday, the body of 17 year old golfer Emanuele Galeppini was identified.
The first moments of the deadly bar fire
Footage the venue shows tourists initially filming the fire as it began to spread across the bar’s ceiling during celebrations at Le Constellation Bar, a popular New Year’s Eve venue. Survivors described how the blaze quickly grew, seemingly before partygoers fully grasped the danger.
Attorney General Béatrice Fillon said at a news conference Friday that investigators believe the fire started when a sparkler candle attached to a champagne bottle was too close to the ceiling, which was reportedly lined with sound-insulating foam panels that accelerated the spread of flames. Authorities are continuing to explore other possibilities but did not elaborate.
Panic sets in as the fire begins to spread
The Foreign Ministry said Saturday that a woman holding Israeli citizenship is currently unreachable in connection with the Crans Montana disaster. “At this time, an Israeli citizen who also holds additional nationality has been reported as out of contact,” the ministry said. “An embassy team is on site and in continuous communication with local authorities. Israel’s department for citizens abroad and embassy staff are in contact with the family.”
The tragedy occurred during a New Year’s Eve party between Wednesday and Thursday at Le Constellation Bar, where some 200 or more people were reportedly celebrating in the basement venue when the fire broke out at about 1:30 a.m. Swiss authorities have quickly ruled out terrorism or deliberate attack. Survivors said the blaze began after fireworks or a lit sparkler in a bottle struck the ceiling.
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Sparkler candles attached to champagne bottles likely caused the fire after striking the ceiling lined with sound-insulating foam panels
Investigators are examining recent renovations at the bar, the materials used in its construction and safety measures, including fire suppression systems and means of evacuation. They are also reviewing how many people were in the bar at the time; regulations allow about 300 patrons. Central to the probe is the sound-insulating material in the basement ceiling, which may have fueled the fire. Owners of the bar, a French couple who bought the venue in 2015, have not yet been questioned under caution, Fillon said.
One of the owners, Jacques Moretti, told media in Italy and Switzerland that renovations were carried out in compliance with the law. He said the bar had been inspected — not annually, but three times over the past decade.