A teenage girl who received her education in Britain is one of the individuals unaccounted for following a tragic fire at a bar in Switzerland.
Charlotte Niddam, thought to be 15 years old, has not been in contact since the fire erupted at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Valais, during the early hours of New Year’s Day. Images of Charlotte were shared on Thursday via the Instagram account @cransmontana.avisderecherche, created to aid in the search for survivors. A message accompanying one of the pictures states: “Dressed as seen in the photo on the right.”
The death toll from the incident stands at 40, with the formal identification of victims being the top priority, as stated by Valais police chief Frédéric Gisler during a press briefing. Out of the 119 individuals injured, 113 have been positively identified, while six individuals remain unidentified. Among the identified victims are 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French, 11 Italians, four Serbians, and one individual each from Bosnia, Belgium, Poland, Luxembourg, and Portugal. The nationalities of 14 others are still under verification.
Charlotte previously attended Emmanuel College, a Jewish school in Watford, London, before relocating to Switzerland with her family, according to reports from The Sun. Her parents are believed to be of French origin, and the family is said to have resided in Bushey, near Watford, Hertfordshire. A neighbor described Charlotte as “kind” and “very intelligent,” expressing deep sadness over the tragic event.
One of Charlotte’s friends, Mia, shared a series of photos of Charlotte on TikTok, accompanied by the message: “My sweet special Lottie, I love you more than anything. I miss my best friend. #cransmontana @Charlotte niddam.”
Another friend, Summer, posted a compilation of videos showing the two friends dancing and laughing together, with the caption: “Missing my best friend @Charlotte niddam #CransMontana.” She also shared a screenshot of the Instagram post seeking information on Charlotte’s whereabouts in the comments.
The fire at the Swiss ski resort bar started around 1:30 am on New Year’s Day when sparkler candles, referred to as flares, placed atop champagne bottles, inadvertently came into contact with the ceiling, as per official reports.