The fire killed 40 people and injured 119 others
A former pupil at a British school is among those missing after a fire at a Swiss ski resort killed 40 people and injured 119 others. Charlotte Niddam, believed to be 15, previously attended Immanuel College in Hertfordshire, according to multiple reports.
In a statement published by several newspapers, the private Jewish school confirmed she was missing. The school urged the community to come together and said it was “praying for a miracle”. Pictures of the missing teenager were shared in a post on an Instagram account set up to help locate survivors.
According to the Crans-Montana resort website, she had been working as a babysitter in the area. The blaze started while revellers were celebrating New Year’s Eve.
The injured included 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French and 11 Italians, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland, according to Frederic Gisler, police commander of the Valais region. The nationalities of 14 people are still unclear.
The blaze broke out at the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana during a new year party, less than two hours after midnight on Thursday (January 1).
Mourners have left candles and flowers in an impromptu memorial near the Constellation bar in Crans-Montana. Hundreds of others prayed for the victims at the nearby Church of Montana-Station.
Emanuele Galeppini, a promising 17-year-old Italian golfer who competed internationally, is officially listed as one of Italy’s missing nationals. Authorities are planning to look into whether the material on the ceiling of the venue that was designed to muffle sound conformed with regulations.
Officials said they would also look at other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes.
