'Living a Nightmare': Relatives of Unaccounted For Teens Await Answers After Alpine Blaze
The relatives of young people missing after a devastating fire at a establishment in a Swiss alpine town are confronting an agonising period of uncertainty for answers and pleading for clues about their loved ones publicly.
The fire ripped through the a popular bar in the alpine resort, located in the mountains of south-west Switzerland, in the middle of the night of January 1st. Verified video show the ceiling igniting as beverages with fireworks are raised in celebration.
Emergency services have indicated that it could take considerable time to identify the victims of the disaster, which claimed the lives of numerous partygoers and hurt another scores more. A spokesperson said on the latest update that 113 of the those hurt have been accounted for, with efforts ongoing to identify the other six.
In the interim, loved ones have been posting on social media to appeal for information about their loved ones who were present at the venue that fateful night.
Heartbreaking Pleas for the Missing
The whereabouts of teenager from Switzerland Arthur Brodard, a teenager, are currently unknown, according to an appeal from his mother.
The who lives of a town near Lausanne, told a local newspaper that she had gone back to the city to check whether he was in the medical facility, while his other parent did the equivalent search in Bern, but could not find him.
"It feels like a terrible dream, a nightmare. The options are finding my son in the hospital mortuary, or I find him in critical condition. Words cannot describe it," she told the paper.
She explained that some of his friends had been found with injuries covering nearly half their bodies. "It's indescribable; they experienced a terrifying ordeal."
The Italy's government has indicated that six of its nationals have not been located.
Included in that group is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old sportsman, originally from Genoa but now living in the UAE.
The national sporting body has stated that he is deceased, without mentioning the fire, paying tribute to a "young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values."
His father, reportedly stated that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around the new year. An representative has stated that a formal confirmation of his death is awaited.
Further Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also unaccounted for. His mother told reporters that he had been on holiday but had gone out with friends and ended up at the venue.
"A close friend informed me they fled after the fire broke out 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 piece of jewelry.
One of his educators said, "He was known for his good nature and smile, coupled with great maturity. Every time offer to get me a coffee."
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek nationality but lives full-time in the country, was also at the bar on New Year's Eve, according to sources.
Her brother has published an urgent request on social media, saying the family has had "no updates" regarding the teenager or the three friends she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Officials from her country of origin say they are continuing to monitor the case.