A fire broke out at Le Constellation Bar in Crans-Montana in the early hours of New Year’s Day, injuring more than 100 people and killing 47. Ligue 1 talent is also among the injured.
FC Metz prospect Tahiris dos Santos was injured in the Crans-Montana fire that killed 47 people on New Year’s Day. The 19-year-old is believed to have been among those celebrating the New Year at Le Constellation Bar in the Swiss ski resort when the fire broke out in the early hours of the morning.
According to reports, the 19-year-old reserve player was airlifted to Germany for treatment of burns. And now his club has released a statement on their official website.
FC Metz wrote: “FC Metz is with great regret to announce that Tahiris dos Santos, the club’s youth player from Mont-Saint-Martin, was injured in a fire that broke out in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on New Year’s Eve. The 19-year-old player, who suffered severe burns, was airlifted to Germany and is currently receiving treatment.”
“The club management, players, coaches and staff are deeply shocked by this news and extend our deepest condolences to Tahiris at this difficult time as he battles his illness.
“The club also wishes to extend its full support to his family and is working with medical authorities to ensure that Tahiris is transferred to Mercy Hospital, close to his home.
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“Updates will be provided if there are any significant changes in Tahiris’ condition. In the meantime, FC Metz asks everyone to respect the privacy of Tahiris and his family.”
At least 47 people died in the Crans-Montana fire, which was apparently caused by a sparkler inside a champagne bottle. Bar owners are said to be in “complete shock” as families continue to search the scene and desperately search for their missing loved ones.
Photos shared on social media showed parts of the bar’s ceiling glowing after sparklers came into contact with its roofing material. The fire then spread quickly, consuming the facility, which was renovated in 2015.
Many witnesses described how it took several seconds for the bar to burst into flames as people inside the building rushed out through a narrow exit. In addition to 47 people reported dead, around 115 others were injured, many of them in their teens to mid-20s.
Officials called the fire a “blanket generalization.” This is a French firefighting term that describes how a fire causes the release of flammable gases that ignite violently, causing a phenomenon English-speaking firefighters refer to as flashover or backdraft.
Victims suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation, and some were taken to specialist hospitals across Switzerland. Officials also urged people to use caution in the coming days to avoid accidents that could require treatment at already full hospitals.
It comes after King Charles III said he was “deeply saddened” by the resort fire. In a message to the Swiss president, the British monarch said: “My wife and I were stunned and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating fire that occurred last night in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
“It is absolutely heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families turned into such a nightmarish tragedy. While we pay tribute to the heroic first responders and selfless emergency services, we above all wanted to convey our deepest sympathies to all those who have been so badly affected by this terrible disaster.”
“Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of all those who tragically lost their lives, and those who remain in critical condition in hospital.”
