“HE TEXTED ME ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’ — NOW I’M TERRIFIED HE’S GONE”
A Mother’s Agony After the Swiss Bar Fire

Just minutes after the clock struck midnight, Laetitia Broadard-Sitre felt a moment of quiet relief. Her phone buzzed with a familiar name on the screen — her 16-year-old son, Arthur. The message was simple, joyful, and full of promise: “Happy New Year, Mum.”
She replied with a smile. She had no idea that would be the last time she would hear from him.

Arthur was inside a packed bar at the luxury Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, where teenagers and tourists had gathered to celebrate the start of the New Year. Around 90 minutes later, the celebration turned into catastrophe. A ferocious fire ripped through the venue, filling it with thick black smoke and panic as flames spread at terrifying speed.

By dawn, Switzerland — and much of Europe — awoke to horrifying news. At least 40 people were confirmed dead in the blaze. Among them were children as young as 16. For dozens of families, the nightmare was only just beginning.

Laetitia has not heard a single word from Arthur since that midnight text. His phone goes straight to voicemail. No hospital has been able to confirm his whereabouts. Each passing hour stretches her fear further, turning hope into unbearable uncertainty.

“That message was the last sign of life from my son,” she said quietly. “Now I’m just waiting… and every second feels like torture.”

Throughout the day, desperate parents flooded into Crans-Montana, gathering outside hospitals, police stations, and the cordoned-off ruins of the bar. Some clutched photos of their children. Others stared endlessly at their phones, redialling numbers they knew would not answer. The air was thick with grief, shock, and disbelief.

Authorities confirmed that many of the victims were teenagers who had gone out to celebrate the New Year with friends. Among the dead was Emanuele Galeppini, a talented young golfer whose promising future was cut tragically short. Friends described him as kind, focused, and full of dreams — dreams that would never be realised.

Investigators say the scale of the fire has made the identification process painfully slow. Severe burns mean many victims cannot be recognised visually. Police are relying on DNA tests, dental records, and personal belongings recovered from the debris. For families like Laetitia’s, this delay is devastating.

“The worst thing is not knowing,” she said. “If he’s gone, I need to know. If he’s alive, I need to hear his voice — even for one second.”

Questions are now mounting over safety conditions inside the bar. Investigators are examining whether the venue was overcrowded, whether fire alarms functioned properly, and whether emergency exits were accessible. Survivors have reportedly described chaos, darkness, and confusion as people struggled to escape through smoke-filled rooms.

For grieving families, these are not just technical failures — they are questions of responsibility.

As the New Year fireworks faded into memory, Crans-Montana was left in mourning. Candles and flowers now line the streets, a silent tribute to lives lost far too young. For Laetitia Broadard-Sitre, time has frozen at one moment — a single text message sent just after midnight.

Three words that once meant joy now carry unbearable weight.

Happy New Year.