'Living a Nightmare': Families of Unaccounted For Teenagers Desperately Seek Answers After Alpine Blaze
The families of teenagers missing after a deadly fire at a venue in a Swiss alpine town are facing an excruciating period of uncertainty for answers and requesting information about their children publicly.
The fire ripped through the a popular bar in the alpine resort, located in the Swiss Alps of the Valais region, in the middle of the night of New Year's Day. Circulated images depict the ceiling igniting as bottles with sparklers are raised in celebration.
Emergency services have indicated that it could take considerable time to formally name the fatalities of the tragedy, which claimed the lives of four dozen individuals and hurt another 119. Authorities noted on Friday that 113 of the those hurt have been accounted for, with the process ongoing to name the other six.
In the interim, loved ones have been posting on the internet to request clues about their friends who were present at the venue that fateful night.
Desperate Searches for the Missing
The whereabouts of teenager from Switzerland Arthur Brodard, a teenager, are still unconfirmed, according to an appeal from his mother.
The resident of a town near Lausanne, told a local newspaper that she had returned to the city to check whether he was in the hospital, while his father did the equivalent search in the capital, but did not locate him.
"This is a living nightmare, an ordeal. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in intensive care. It's horrific," she stated.
She continued that some of his companions had been discovered with injuries covering nearly half their bodies. "It's indescribable; they went through an absolute nightmare."
The Italy's foreign ministry has said that a number of of its citizens have not been located.
Among them is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old promising athlete, who hailed from Genoa but now residing in the UAE.
The national sporting body has released a tribute that he is no longer with us, without directly referencing the tragedy, paying tribute to a "talented young man who carried with him dedication and authentic values."
His father, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around midnight. An representative has stated that a formal confirmation of his death is still pending.
Further Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also among the missing. His mother told reporters that he had been on vacation but had gone out with friends and ended up at the venue.
"A companion said they fled after the fire erupted and that he had his phone with him, but then at a specific moment he lost sight of him," she said, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.
One of his educators said, "I remember his kindness and positive demeanor, combined with great responsibility. Often offer to help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds both Greek and Swiss citizenship but lives permanently in Switzerland, was also at the bar on that night, according to reports.
Her sibling has posted an appeal online, saying the family has had "no news" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Officials from her other nation say they are continuing to monitor the developments.