The initial casualty of the Crans-Montana ski resort blaze has been identified as Emanuele Galeppini, a young Italian golfer. The 17-year-old was acknowledged by the Italian Golf Federation, expressing deep sorrow for the loss of a talented athlete who symbolized passion and genuine values. Emanuele, hailing from Genoa, was a promising golfer and a member of the Rapallo Golf Club. His father, Edoardo Galeppini, mentioned in an interview that Emanuele was unaccounted for after the incident.
The fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana during the New Year festivities has left around 40 individuals deceased and another 115 wounded. Swiss authorities are investigating the cause of the fire that resulted in a significant number of casualties. Valais State Councillor Stéphane Ganzer estimated that 80 to 100 individuals are in critical condition out of the total injured. The identification process of the hospitalized victims is challenging due to the severity of their injuries.
Valais government president, Mathias Reynard, highlighted the difficulties in identifying victims and emphasized the ongoing efforts of medical staff in providing extensive care to the injured. The situation in hospitals was described as highly strained, with additional support being mobilized. Nine French citizens sustained injuries in the fire, while eight others remain missing. French authorities are working on identifying potential French victims among the casualties, as the investigation continues.