A mother, Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, is searching for her 17-year-old son Arthur after a fire consumed the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations. Arthur sent his mother a text reading, "Happy New Year, Mum, I love you" shortly after midnight and has not been seen since. Authorities say at least 40 people were killed and 119 injured; investigators believe sparklers placed in champagne bottles likely sparked the rapid blaze. Families and rescue teams continue identification and search efforts.
Mother Searches For Teen Son After Deadly New Year’s Eve Blaze At Swiss Ski-Resort Bar
REUTERS/Noemie OliveLaetitia Brodard-Sitre holds a phone displaying her social media post about her 16-year-old son Arthur, who went missing after a fire and explosion at the "Le Constellation" bar during a New Year's Eve party where people died and others were injured, in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland, January 2, 2026.
A mother is desperately searching for her 17-year-old son after a fire tore through the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The blaze erupted at about 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 and spread rapidly through the alpine venue. Authorities say at least 40 people were killed and 119 were injured in the incident.
Son Missing After Midnight Message
Laetitia Brodard-Sitre told reporters her son, Arthur, is among those still unaccounted for. She said Arthur had reserved a large table with friends to celebrate his 17th birthday before they went to Le Constellation. Shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day he texted her, "Happy New Year, Mum, I love you," and she has not heard from him since.
"We are together, we are in shock, we take each other in our arms and we cry," Brodard-Sitre said of relatives and others searching for missing loved ones. "We try to give each other hope."
Search And Identification Efforts Underway
Brodard-Sitre visited Sion hospital but did not find her son among the patients. She has provided a DNA sample to help identify severely burned victims many of whom remain unidentified, and she said she is staying near the scene until she finds him.
Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said investigators believe sparklers placed in champagne bottles likely triggered the fire, which then spread very quickly. Rescue teams and local authorities continue to search the area and work on victim identification while families await news.
The investigation into the exact cause and sequence of events is ongoing as officials support victims and their families.
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