A distressed mother is currently searching for her teenage son and nine school companions who remain unaccounted for after the tragic fire incident in Switzerland during the New Year celebrations.
Laetitia Brodard expressed her anguish as she has not had any contact with her 16-year-old son, Arthur Brodard, since he departed to attend a gathering at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana. The calamity, sparked by sparklers in champagne bottles, has led to the loss of around 47 lives and left several hundreds injured.
In an emotional plea on a TV news channel, Ms. Brodard, a Swiss national, shared her distress, saying, “I have been searching for Arthur for over 30 hours with no updates. The uncertainty is unbearable. I am determined to keep looking for him, to find out if he is safe or if he has passed away.”
She disclosed that Arthur and 10 of his classmates had made reservations at Le Constellation to mark the beginning of 2026, but only one person has been located so far. Ms. Brodard lamented the situation, stating, “He was eagerly anticipating celebrating New Year’s Eve with his school friends at the resort and in this particular bar.”
Ms. Brodard emphasized her relentless search for her son, expressing her frustration at not knowing his whereabouts. She highlighted the challenges of the situation, including the extent of injuries suffered by the burn victims and the difficulties in obtaining information from the authorities.
Despite facing criticism for allowing young teenagers to celebrate independently, Ms. Brodard defended the parents’ actions, stating that they were not neglectful and were aware of their children’s whereabouts during the festivities.
The tragic incident at Le Constellation resulted in devastating consequences, with survivors recounting harrowing experiences of the fire engulfing the basement and causing severe burns to the attendees, many of whom were teenagers and young adults. Swiss officials anticipate a prolonged process to identify and name all the victims due to the severity of the injuries.
The first victim to be publicly identified was Emanuele Galeppini, a 17-year-old Italian golfer. Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the event as one of the country’s most tragic incidents, cutting short the lives of numerous young individuals.