Featured Image Credit: Tahirys3/instagram
Topics: World News
Phoebe Tonks
A French soccer player has been named as one of the injured victims of a deadly fire which ripped through a Swiss ski resort on New Year’s Day.
French soccer club FC Metz confirmed that one of their players, Tahirys Dos Santos, 19, was among those injured in the fire at Le Constellation bar on January 1.
In a statement, they said that Dos Santos was 'severely burned' and has been transferred by plane to Germany, where he is being treated.
FC Metz also added that 'the leaders, players, coaches and employees of the club are in shock and unite their thoughts to address them to Tahirys'.
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Around 40 people were killed, and at least 115 were injured in the deadly blaze that occurred during New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation; however, witnesses at the scene reported that waitresses were carrying champagne bottles filled with sparklers, and one theory is that they may have accidentally ignited the roof.
When asked directly whether this was possible, Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud declined to provide a verdict and stated that officials were not confirming anything at this time.
The current working theory, for now, is that a ‘general fire’ caused the ‘conflagration'. They did, however, confirm that the fire was not caused by an ‘explosive device’ or connected to any act of ‘terrorism’.
Pilloud also confirmed that no arrests have been made in connection with the fire and that there are currently no suspects.
Following the fire, Switzerland’s president, Guy Parmelin, described the fire as ‘a drama of unknown scale’ and expressed his deepest condolences to those affected by the blaze.
“What was a moment of joy turned into a tragedy in Crans-Montana last night, felt across the country and beyond,” he wrote on X. “The Federal Council has taken note of this with deep dismay. Its thoughts are with the victims, the injured and their families, and it extends its deepest condolences.”
According to Swiss police, more than 100 people are believed to have gathered at the bar Le Constellation in the luxury ski resort town, approximately two hours from the Swiss capital, Bern.
Patrons had just recently rung in the new year and were continuing their celebrations when the explosion occurred at around 1:30 a.m. local time.
Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesperson in Wallis canton, in southwestern Switzerland, told AFP: "More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead."
Lathion confirmed that an explosion had taken place in the bar, but said it was of 'unknown origin' so far.
Following the incident, authorities have closed the area around Le Constellation and imposed a no-fly zone over Crans-Montana.