A mother is desperately searching for her teenage son after he went missing following a devastating fire at a ski resort bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Switzerland.
Police said the deadly blaze broke out at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana at around 1:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, Jan. 1. Authorities have confirmed that at least 40 people were killed and 119 others were injured, according to CNN.
Laetitia Brodard-Sitre told Reuters that her 17-year-old son, Arthur, is among those still unaccounted for after the fire. She explained that Arthur had reserved a large table with friends earlier in the evening to celebrate his birthday before heading to Le Constellation to ring in the New Year.
Just after midnight, Arthur sent his mother a message that read, “Happy New Year, Mum, I love you.” She has not heard from him since.
“We are together, we are in shock, we take each other in our arms and we cry,” Brodard-Sitre said, describing families and loved ones waiting for news, according to Reuters. “We try to give each other hope.”
She has since visited Sion hospital in search of her son but was unable to find him there, Reuters reported, citing CNN.
In hopes of identifying Arthur, Brodard-Sitre has reportedly provided a DNA sample, as many of the victims suffered severe burns and had not yet been identified.
“I don’t sleep,” she said while standing near the scene of the fire. “The only thing I find comforting is knowing that I am here, that I am close by, and that as soon as I find my son, I will truly be by his side.”
She added that remaining in Crans-Montana helps her feel connected to him. “While waiting for that, I am here. I am by his side here. I can’t see myself anywhere else. As long as I’m in Crans-Montana, I’m close to Le Constellation.”
Authorities believe the fire may have started after sparklers placed in champagne bottles ignited, according to CNN and the BBC.
“From that, a blaze began very quickly,” Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said during a press conference.
