French professional footballer Tahirys Dos Santos has suffered severe burns following a deadly fire outbreak at a luxury Swiss ski resort nightclub during New Year celebrations, which claimed the lives of more than 40 people.
Dos Santos, a 19-year-old defender with French club FC Metz, was among those injured in the tragic incident and was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Germany for specialist treatment.
The footballer was reportedly holidaying with friends in the Swiss Alps when the fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. at Le Constellation bar in the upscale resort town of Crans-Montana.
Witnesses told French media that the blaze began in the basement of the club after a sparkler attached to a champagne bottle ignited the venue’s low wooden ceiling, causing flames to spread rapidly through the packed underground space.
FC Metz confirmed the incident in a statement, saying Dos Santos had been staying in a nearby chalet and was scheduled to return to training this week.
The club described the news as deeply shocking, adding that its management, coaching staff, and players are providing full support to the young footballer and his family.
The inferno reportedly killed more than 40 people and left over 100 others injured, many of them critically, after a sudden “flashover” caused all combustible materials in the basement to ignite almost at once.
Swiss authorities said burn units across the country were overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster, forcing emergency services to transfer some of the most severely injured victims to hospitals in neighbouring countries.
Italian officials confirmed that up to 16 Italian nationals remain missing, while France’s foreign ministry said eight French citizens were still unaccounted for as search and identification efforts continue.
Authorities warned that identifying all victims could take several days, as many bodies were badly burned, making visual identification impossible. Investigators are relying on DNA and dental records to confirm identities.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the incident as one of the worst tragedies our country has ever experienced, saying the nation has been plunged into mourning at the start of the new year.
