Italian golfer, 16, named as first victim of tragic Swiss ski resort bar fire

The Italian Golf Federation describes Emanuele Galeppini as an ‘athlete who embodied passion and authentic values’

The first victim of a devastating fire in a Swiss ski resort bar has been named, as the painstaking identification process continues.

At least 40 people were killed and another 115 injured after a blaze engulfed the Crans-Montana resort’s Le Constellation bar shortly after midnight on Thursday. It has been described as one of Switzerland’s “worst tragedies”.

Authorities on Friday said that 113 of 119 of the victims had been identified.

Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old athlete who lived in Dubai, was staying in the Crans-Montana resort with his family. He went to the resort bar with two friends on New Year’s Eve, Italian media reported.

Emanuele Galeppini was celebrating with friends at the Le Constellation bar (Instagram/@italiangolffederation)

In a statement, the Italian Golf Federation said it mourned the death of “a young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values”.

“In this time of great sorrow, our thoughts go out to his family and all those who loved him,” they said.

His page on the World Amateur Golf Ranking website described him as an Italian junior golfer who “loves to golf, compete and eat”.

Last year, he claimed the championship title at the Omega Dubai Creek Amateur Open.

Authorities have ruled out the fire as an ‘attack’ (X/@Tyroneking36852)

In a press conference on Friday, Swiss authorities said the fire could have “started from sparkler candles, otherwise known as flares that were placed on top of Champagne bottles.”

Authorities added: “They were taken too close to the ceiling leading to a flashover incident where the fire spread very rapidly.

“Several people have been interviewed and observations have been made on the premises.

“Two French managers of the bar and various people who escaped the tragedy have been interviewed.”

Investigations will look at renovation work, materials used and licensing arrangements and safety and security arrangements, fire extinguishers and emergency exit.

Swiss authorities have said the fire could have started from sparkler candles on top of Champagne bottles (Keystone)

Two women told French broadcaster BFMTV they were inside when they saw a male bartender lifting a female bartender on his shoulders as she held a lit candle in a bottle. The flames spread, collapsing the wooden ceiling, they told the broadcaster.

Video footage appears to show the ceiling of the bar rapidly catching fire. One of the women described a crowd surge as people frantically tried to escape from a basement nightclub up a narrow flight of stairs and through a narrow door.

The incident has been described as one of Switzerland’s ‘worst ever tragedies’ (Reuters)

The fire is said to have prompted a flashover – a firefighting term describing how a blaze can trigger the release of combustible gases that can then ignite violently and simultaneously.

Italy's foreign minster Antonio Tajani called the safety situation of the Swiss ski resort bar “terrible” after visiting the Swiss ski resort.

He said the use of small fireworks in the bar was "irresponsible", adding: "This safety situation was terrible. We've seen some dramatic footage.

“Obviously, something didn't work. It will be the judges who carry out the investigation and apportion liability."

A witness speaking to local media BFMTV described people smashing windows to escape the blaze, some gravely injured, and panicked parents rushing to the scene in cars to see whether their children were trapped inside.

The young man said he saw about 20 people scrambling to get out of the smoke and flames and likened what he saw to a horror movie as he watched from across the street.