The Fateful 90 Minutes and the Last Texts

The clock had just struck midnight in the luxury ski resort of Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Amidst the celebration, 16-year-old Arthur sent a brief text to his mother, Laetitia, wishing her a Happy New Year. No one could have predicted that this would be the teenager’s final sign of life. Barely 90 minutes later, Le Constellation bar—where hundreds were lost in the music—had transformed into a towering furnace.

A Fireball Born from Champagne Bottles

It wasn’t a bomb, but something seemingly harmless that triggered the catastrophe: Sparklers on champagne bottles. According to Prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud, as waitresses carried the bottles high, the flares touched the sound-absorbing foam ceiling.

In seconds, a “flashover” turned the entire roof into a sea of fire. Even more chilling, leaked footage shows partygoers continuing to dance and film on their phones as the fire spread, completely oblivious to the wrath of the flames descending upon them.

Heroes Amidst the “War Zone”

Out of the black smoke and screams, 19-year-old Ferdinand Du Beaudiez emerged with an incredible story of sacrifice. The student charged back into the blaze multiple times to drag unconscious victims to safety. “I could only see teeth; their clothes and skin were completely burned away. I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman,” Ferdinand recalled, describing a scene he likened to a war-torn battlefield.

The Heart-Wrenching Agony of the Survivors

As of last night, the death toll reached 40, but that number is expected to rise with 80 others still in critical condition. Outside hospitals, parents like Laetitia stand frozen in grief, praying for a miracle for Arthur and other children as young as 14 and 15.

Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the bar owners, facing allegations of severe overcrowding (exceeding the 300-person capacity), a lack of visible exits, and blatant fire safety violations. While the world sends condolences, families in Crans-Montana are left waiting for DNA results to identify their loved ones—a bitter end to a night that was supposed to be filled with joy.