'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Families of Missing Young People Desperately Seek Answers After Alpine Fire
The families of teenagers unaccounted for after a devastating inferno at a bar in a Switzerland's alpine town are facing an painful wait for official news and requesting information about their loved ones online.
The fire ripped through the a popular bar in Cans-Montana, located in the Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the small hours of New Year's Day. Circulated video show the roof structure being engulfed in flames as bottles with fireworks are held aloft.
Officials have stated that it could take an extended period to identify the fatalities of the fire, which resulted in the death of 40 people and injured another scores more. Officials stated on the latest update that the majority of the injured have been accounted for, with efforts continuing to locate the remaining few.
In the meantime, relatives have been posting on online platforms to plead for information about their loved ones who were in attendance that night.
Appeals for the Unaccounted For
The location of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, are still unconfirmed, according to an heartfelt request from his parent.
The resident of a town near the city, informed a publication that she had gone back to the city to check whether he was in the medical facility, while his father did the same in Bern, but did not locate him.
"I'm living a nightmare, a horror. Either I find my son in the hospital mortuary, or I find him in critical condition. It's horrific," she told the paper.
She continued that some of his peers had been located with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "It's indescribable; they endured hell."
The Italy's government has said that six of its nationals have not been located.
Among them is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old sportsman, originally from Genoa but now residing in the UAE.
The national sporting body has said that he is dead, without directly referencing the tragedy, paying tribute to a "young athlete who carried with him dedication and true sportsmanship."
His father, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around the new year. An official spokesperson has indicated that a official announcement of his death is not yet.
Additional Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is likewise unaccounted for. His parent explained that he had been on vacation but had ventured out with friends and found himself at the venue.
"Someone with him told me they ran away after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a specific moment he lost sight of him," she explained, adding he had been wearing a distinctive gold chain.
One of his educators commented, "He was known for his kindness and smile, combined with great maturity. Every time ask if help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek nationality but lives full-time in the country, was also present on New Year's Eve, according to media.
Her brother has shared an appeal on social media, saying the relatives has had "no updates" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also reported missing.
Consular authorities from her country of origin say they are actively engaged with the developments.