'Living a Nightmare': Families of Missing Teens Desperately Seek Answers After Alpine Inferno
The families of young people lost after a deadly fire at a bar in a Swiss alpine town are enduring an painful wait for answers and appealing for any details about their children online.
The blaze ripped through the a popular bar in the alpine resort, located in the mountains of the Valais region, in the small hours of the first day of the year. Circulated video show the ceiling being engulfed in flames as beverages with sparklers are held aloft.
Authorities have warned that it could take an extended period to formally name the fatalities of the fire, which resulted in the death of 40 people and wounded another 119. A spokesperson noted on Friday that the majority of the those hurt have been accounted for, with the process ongoing to name the other six.
In the meantime, loved ones have been using social media to appeal for clues about their missing relatives who were at the bar that fateful night.
Desperate Searches for the Missing
The fate of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, a teenager, are currently unknown, according to an public plea from his mother.
The resident of Lutry near the city, told a publication that she had returned to the city to see if 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 intensive care. Words cannot describe it," she told the paper.
She added that some of his peers had been located with burns covering a significant portion of their bodies. "There are no words; they experienced an absolute nightmare."
The Italy's foreign ministry has confirmed that six of its nationals have not been located.
Among them is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old junior golfer, originally from Genoa but now living in the UAE.
The Italian Golf Federation has said that he is no longer with us, without mentioning the fire, paying tribute to a "talented young man who represented passion and true sportsmanship."
His father, reportedly stated that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around the new year. An official spokesperson has indicated that a formal confirmation of his death is still pending.
Further Missing Individuals
Giovanni Tamburi, 16, is also unaccounted for. His parent explained that he had been on holiday but had ventured out with friends and ended up at the bar.
"A companion informed me they ran away after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a specific moment he couldn't see him anymore," she recounted, adding he had been wearing a distinctive piece of jewelry.
One of his teachers said, "I've always been struck by his good nature and smile, alongside great responsibility. Often offer to help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds both Greek and Swiss citizenship but lives full-time in Switzerland, was also at the bar on New Year's Eve, according to sources.
Her sibling has shared an urgent request on social media, saying the relatives has had "no news" regarding the teenager or the three friends she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Consular authorities from her country of origin say they are closely watching the situation.