By Jason Farell, home news editor, in Switzerland
Locals and tourists gathered quietly around the police cordon in Crans-Montana, among them people who had witnessed the events of the night before when New Year celebrations suddenly turned into a nightmare.
Leon Christe, who works in Crans-Montana, was one of the first to the scene and says he tried to help as many people as possible, administering first aid.
“It was very chaotic and very sad. Everywhere, there were young people who needed help, some had their clothes burned off. It was very traumatising.”
Samuel Rapp, who also witnessed the aftermath, tells me: “I saw a lot of people trying to escape and screaming. It was horrible.”
Many were teenagers, with Le Constellation club being popular with young people, he says.
Swiss mountain towns and villages take New Year’s Eve celebrations very seriously. People come from all over the world to experience the party atmosphere.
Town squares are often the focus at midnight, and in Crans-Montana there were DJs and fireworks.
People often bring their own fireworks and firecrackers, setting them off outside among the crowds.
Obviously, there is normally caution inside what are often mostly wooden buildings.
After midnight, it is usually the younger partygoers who have the stamina to continue in late-night clubs – and there’s no doubt Le Constellation will have been packed with teenagers when the fire started.
