A teenager who was educated in Britain is among those missing following a devastating fire at a Swiss ski resort that claimed dozens of lives.
British Schoolgirl Caught in Tragedy
Charlotte Niddam, aged 15, lived in Bushey, Hertfordshire, until recently and was a pupil at Immanuel College, a private Jewish secondary school. The school confirmed it is "praying for a miracle" for Charlotte, whose family have not heard from her since the blaze broke out in the early hours of New Year's Day.
The fire erupted at the Le Constellation bar in the popular resort of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, around 1:30am local time on Thursday. The venue was crowded with teenagers celebrating the new year when the tragedy unfolded.
Scale of the Disaster and Investigation
Swiss authorities stated that approximately 40 people lost their lives and more than 100 were injured. The identification process for some victims is still ongoing, prompting a five-day national period of mourning.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was likely ignited by fountain sparklers mounted on champagne bottles, which set the ceiling alight. The resort, located about 62 miles from the French border, is frequented by tourists from across Europe, with Swiss, French, and Italian nationals among the main groups affected.
Community Appeals for Missing Teen
Charlotte's family sold their UK home in March and had moved back to their native France. It is understood she regularly spent time in Crans-Montana and had even advertised her services as a babysitter on the resort's website, stating she was often in the town and available on weekends and during school holidays.
In a heartfelt statement, a spokesperson for Immanuel College said: "We are reaching out with an urgent request for our school community to come together in support of Charlotte Niddam... The families have asked that we all keep them in our thoughts and prayers during this extremely difficult time."
Families of the missing have turned to social media to appeal for information as the tight-knit communities in the Alps and beyond grapple with the scale of the loss.
