"It was New Year's Eve and the music was still playing when the ceiling of the ground floor of the venue caught fire. People started recording with their cell phones until someone shouted, This place is on fire, we have to get out fast! Then came the screams, different from those of minutes earlier and not captured by the cameras. And chaos."
"Five days have passed since that horrific scene: the devastating New Year's Eve fire that left 40 dead and 119 injured at the Le Constellation bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana. This picturesque Alpine village, a popular ski destination for affluent tourists, is grappling with the aftermath of one of the country's greatest tragedies while searching for answers and trying to identify the victims."
"Swiss authorities announced on Sunday that the identification of all the bodies had been completed. Half of the victims were minors. The youngest were two 14-year-olds, and the rest were aged between 15 and 17. The Le Constellation bar was known for being frequented by many people under the age of 18. Of the victims, 22 were Swiss and the rest were foreign nationals: six Italians, eight French, one Portuguese, one Belgian, one Romanian, and one Turkish."
A New Year's Eve fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana erupted shortly before and after 1:30 a.m., prompting recordings, screams and chaos. The fire left 40 dead and 119 injured; the fire department arrived quickly but could not prevent the heavy toll. Identification of all bodies has been completed. Half of the victims were minors, including two 14-year-olds and others aged 15 to 17. Victims included 22 Swiss and several foreign nationals. The sole security guard on duty died trying to help patrons escape. Officials say a flare placed inside a champagne bottle struck a ceiling covered with soundproofing material and ignited the blaze. Authorities have released limited information and many questions remain.
Read at english.elpais.com
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