NEED TO KNOW
A mom is looking for her son, who disappeared after visiting the ski resort bar in the Swiss Alps that went up in flames during New Year’s Eve celebrationsLaetitia Brodard-Sitre said her son Arthur texted her “I love you” shortly after midnight, but she has not heard from him sinceAuthorities said 40 people were killed in the blaze that was likely caused by sparklers in champagne bottles
A mom is searching for her son, who has been missing since he attended the ski resort bar that went up in flames during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Police said the fatal incident occurred at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, at about 1:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, Jan. 1.
Laetitia Brodard-Sitre told Reuters that her son Arthur is among those unaccounted for after the blaze, which killed at least 40 people and injured 119, according to CNN.
The mom said her son had “reserved a big table with his friends” to celebrate his 17th birthday before heading to Le Constellation for New Year’s Eve.
Arthur sent a text message to his mom just after midnight on New Year’s Day, saying, “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,” the mom said of relatives and others whose loved ones are missing, Reuters reported. “We try to give each other hope.”
She has since visited Sion hospital, but did not find her son there, according to Reuters, per CNN.
The mom has reportedly provided a DNA sample in hopes of finding him among the severe burn victims, many of whom had not been identified.
“I don’t sleep,” Brodard-Sitre said while standing near the scene of the fire. “The only thing I find comforting is to know that I am here, that I am close by, and as soon as I find my son, I will be by his side truly.”
She added, “But 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.”
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Authorities believe sparklers in a champagne bottles were likely the cause of the blaze, according to CNN and the BBC.
“From that, a blaze began very quickly,” said Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud at a press conference.