What was meant to be a night of celebration turned into a devastating tragedy in the early hours of Thursday. A fierce fire engulfed the bustling Le Constellation bar, nestled in the prestigious ski resort of Crans-Montana. The calamity claimed the lives of dozens and left over 100 individuals injured, casting a somber shadow over the new year festivities.

Swiss President categorized this incident as one of the most tragic events in the country’s recent history. Among the injured is an Australian national, highlighting the international reach of this heartbreaking event.

Among those who tragically lost their lives was Emanuele Galeppini, a promising 17-year-old golfer from Italy. The Italian foreign ministry and the Italian Golf Federation confirmed his passing, paying homage to a young athlete whose talents and fervor for the sport had already made a significant impact.

The Italian Golf Federation expressed their sorrow and admiration for Galeppini, referring to him as “a young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values.” In a heartfelt statement, they conveyed their condolences to his family and all who knew him, stating, “Emanuele, you will remain in our hearts forever.”

“In this moment of great sorrow, our thoughts go out to his family and all those who loved him. Emanuele, you will remain in our hearts forever,” the federation said in a statement.

Galeppini lived in Dubai and had competed in 50 international golf events, according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking, including the Italian National U18 Team Championship.

‘Chaos’ and ‘war’, death toll could rise

Valais security director Stéphane Ganzer has talked of scenes of “chaos” and “war” at the ski resort bar.

Speaking to French radio network RTL, Ganzer said that young people who had come to have fun found themselves “becoming improvised first responders, having to perform CPR or help people who are completely burned”.

He said between 80 and 100 victims likely remain in a “truly critical condition” in hospital a day after the fire. Ganzer added that the death toll could rise, citing a risk of sepsis of victims who sustained severe burns in the tragedy.

“As you may know, when an adult has approximately 15 per cent of their body surface area burned to the third degree, there is a risk of death in the hours and days that follow, as sepsis can spread throughout the body,” he said.

“So it is true that this is a terrible situation that may be getting worse as we speak.”

Australian among the injured

Authorities in Australia, France and Italy have confirmed their nationals are among the victims of the fire.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was “providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian that has been injured and is receiving medical care following the fire”.

It’s not known exactly where the Australian is being treated, with hospitals being

The French foreign ministry said nine citizens were hurt.

Italy’s foreign ministry reported that 15 nationals are in hospital.

Exclusive resort town reeling

The streets of Crans-Montana are awash with grief as residents, still in shock, weep in the aftermath of the fire.

“The entire town is still in shock,” journalist Sandro Zulian of Swiss news outlet Blick told CNN.

“I’ve seen people crying yesterday, I’ve seen people sobbing. It’s really not a very nice thing to look at the moment here in Crans-Montana.”

The most pressing questions from relatives of those missing would be on the identities of the victims, Zulian said.

Evidence suggests the bar may have been overcrowded with as many as 200 people inside, including teenagers as young as 15, he added, pointing to pictures and videos from inside the venue.

Zulian said it is still too early to tell who the victims are in what he described as “one of the biggest rescue operations in Swiss history”.