Laetitia Brodard-Sitre has been anxiously waiting near the location of a tragic fire that engulfed a bar at a Swiss ski resort on New Year’s Day, hoping for any updates regarding her son, Arthur Brodard. She had last communicated with him just over an hour before the devastating blaze broke out at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, claiming the lives of numerous young revelers and causing injuries to many others.
Brodard-Sitre, along with other concerned relatives and friends of individuals present at the bar during the incident, is currently enduring a distressing period of uncertainty, awaiting confirmation on whether their loved ones were among the casualties of the fire or are among the injured whose identities remain unverified.
The last message she received from her son was a text shortly after midnight that conveyed, “Happy New Year, Mum, I love you.” In response, she promptly replied three minutes later, expressing her well-wishes to him.
Subsequently, Arthur shared a disappearing video in a group chat, depicting him socializing with friends just moments before emergency calls were made to the fire department around 1:30 a.m. Videos captured by witnesses inside and outside the bar exhibit the harrowing scenes as flames rapidly spread, causing chaos and panic among those present.
Arthur, who is on the verge of turning 17, is among the unidentified missing individuals. Brodard-Sitre, like other concerned families, has provided DNA samples in the hope of determining her son’s status, whether he is among the deceased or receiving medical care. She voiced her uncertainty about the identification process and emphasized the emotional toll of not knowing her son’s fate.
She clutches a photo of her son, taken just two hours before he headed to Le Constellation, appealing for any information regarding his whereabouts in hospitals or morgues, alive or deceased. Her poignant plea for assistance is fueled by the desperate desire to reunite with her child, underscoring the agonizing ordeal faced by many families affected by the tragic incident.
As the investigation continues and information unfolds gradually, the community grapples with the aftermath of the fire, with families, survivors, and mourners seeking closure and answers amidst the heartbreaking loss experienced on New Year’s Eve.