Hero father saved ten youngsters from Swiss ski resort fire | UK | News

A local dad has been hailed as a hero after helping save ten teenagers from a fire at a Swiss ski resort. Paolo Campolo walked through the emergency door at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, which went up in flames in the early hours of New Year’s Eve.

Mr. Campolo rushed to the scene after receiving a call from his daughter, who was worried about her friends and boyfriend inside. He ran from his nearby house to help those trapped inside the building.

The 55-year-old’s actions are thought to have helped save at least ten young people, although many resulted in injuries and more than 40 people are thought to have died.

The hero located the side entrance to the packed club and pushed it open to let some of the trapped revelers out. Mr. Campolo is currently being treated in hospital for smoke inhalation following his actions.

The Swiss-Italian spoke from his hospital bed and said: “There were many bodies around. Alive but burned. Some conscious, others not. They were begging for help in various languages. They were very young.”

The analyst told the Italian newspaper: Il Messaggero He said he managed to open the door to allow some teenagers to escape from the inferno.

Many young people remain missing, with friends and family making emotional appeals to help them find their loved ones. Other victims were identified, including Mr. Campolo’s daughter, who was reportedly injured.

He remembers the young people’s looks of despair when questioned about his version of the events. He said: “The looks. The clear despair of those who know they will die.

“Burned people are looking at you and telling you not to leave them there. This is something that will never go away.” The identities of the dead and injured have not yet been determined, but it has been confirmed that 71 Swiss, 14 French and 11 Italian citizens are among the injured.

The owners of the popular nightclub said they “could not sleep or eat” after the tragedy, and emphasized that “everything was done according to the rules.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but Swiss authorities announced that the fire was linked to sparklers coming out of champagne bottles.