A British teenager who attended two Jewish schools in England is now among those missing following a catastrophic New Year’s fire at a Swiss alpine resort that claimed at least 40 lives and left 119 injured. Charlotte Niddam, previously a student at Immanuel College in Hertfordshire and the Jewish Free School (JFS) in northwest London, remains unaccounted for after flames engulfed Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana during early Thursday celebrations.
Swiss prosecutors revealed preliminary investigations indicate sparklers on champagne bottles carried ‘too close to the ceiling’ likely ignited the basement blaze. The popular bar was crowded with Swiss nationals and international tourists ringing in the new year when the disaster struck.
Both educational institutions Charlotte attended issued emotional statements. JFS described her as ‘loved by so many’ during her two-year enrollment, while Immanuel College shared her family’s request for prayers ‘during this extremely difficult time,’ adding ‘We are all praying for a miracle.’ Crans-Montana’s tourism website lists Charlotte as a holiday babysitter in the resort.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin characterized the incident as ‘one of the worst tragedies’ in the nation’s history. Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud confirmed the criminal investigation will examine construction materials, fire safety protocols, and occupancy levels at the time of the incident.
Authorities caution that victim identification may require ‘days if not weeks,’ with 113 injured persons already identified and six remaining unnamed. The international community continues to monitor developments as search operations progress.