Hope fades for parents of the missing as full horror of Swiss ski resort inferno sinks in, writes NICK CRAVEN
The true horror of the New Year’s inferno that ripped through Le Constellation bar hit home last night as more videos and photos of the first moments of the fire emerged.
The resort of Crans-Montana was covered with sadness yesterday; The ski slopes were closed as a sign of respect and almost all restaurants and bars were closed, erasing any trace of the holiday atmosphere.
But for those not too far away, holidays continued at other ski resorts, underlining the dependence of the Swiss economy on tourism.
As desperate families pray for news, the wider region’s head of tourism has pointed out there are ‘two worlds’ as holidays continue at nearby resorts despite the mournful atmosphere engulfing Crans-Montana.
Bruno Huggler, head of tourism for the Valais, which includes Crans, told the BBC: ‘The shock is still very deep today.’
He said officials were trying to find the best way to provide a ‘respectful atmosphere’ for the victims’ families and allow other guests to enjoy their holidays.
In Crans, visitors and locals, whether directly affected or not, huddled against sub-zero temperatures at various stations set up as makeshift shrines with flowers, memorials and candles.
Most maintained a respectful silence.
Visitors stood in sub-zero temperatures to watch memorials and the laying of flowers and candles
A young mother named Laetitia Brodard-Sitre (42) (pictured) searched in vain for news about her eldest son Arthur, 16.
Laetitia’s 16-year-old son Arthur Brodard has been missing since the fire in Crans-Montana
How different the mood was in the moments captured on video from inside Le Constellation just the day before, before New Year’s celebrations turned into tragedy.
In one shocking clip, it becomes clear that many of the teenagers were at least initially unaware of the danger, even as flames licked with terrifying ferocity through the insulating foam covering Le Constellation’s low ceiling.
Yesterday, as the police cordon outside the bar was partially removed, a saddening procession of relatives and friends could be seen wandering outside, haunted by the international media, desperately seeking news of their loved ones.
Clinging on to their last shreds of hope, the relatives were also confronting their worst fears and coming to terms with the fact that their children had almost certainly been cut off in their prime.
As the day progressed, as the difficult task of identifying more than 40 bodies (and even some of the 119 injured) continued, it became clear that no news was inevitably bad news in this case.
Young mother Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, 42, searched in vain for news about her eldest son Arthur, 16.
He had photos of her on his mobile phone and showed her a touching final message from Le Constellation at midnight, wishing her a ‘Happy Birthday Mum’, to which he responded with a greeting of his own.
Mourners gathered near Le Constellation bar, where a fire killed 47 people and injured more than 100
The fire broke out just after midnight on January 1 at Le Constellation bar after sparklers set foam soundproofing material on fire.
Police stood by tents outside Le Constellation bar after fire killed 47 people
She hadn’t heard from him since, and yesterday afternoon she’d accepted that she never would.
He said Arthur and ten school friends had booked a table at Le Constellation to celebrate the start of 2026, but only one of them was available.
He said: ‘He was looking forward to celebrating New Year’s Eve with his school friends at the resort and in this pub. They had planned ahead and reserved a table.
‘Only one of the 11 people at the table was found, the others are missing.
‘If my son is alive, he is alone in the hospital. Even if he’s in the morgue, because now you have to be able to think clearly after over 30 hours, I don’t know which morgue he’s in, I can’t be around him.’
Relatives may have to wait days or even weeks to receive official news of their loved ones’ fate because many of the bodies were so badly burned.
For Ms. Bodard-Sitre and many others like her, this will be a torturous wait.
