French footballer Tahirys Dos Santos has been left battling serious injuries after a deadly nightclub fire shattered New Year celebrations at a luxury Swiss ski resort.
The 19-year-old FC Metz defender suffered severe burns when a massive blaze tore through the Le Constellation nightclub in Crans-Montana, killing more than 40 people and injuring over 100 others.
The tragedy unfolded around 1:30 a.m. local time, at a moment when revelers had been welcoming the new year.
Dos Santos was on holiday in the Swiss Alps with friends when the fire broke out.
He was later airlifted by helicopter to a specialist hospital in Germany, as Swiss burn units were quickly overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.
His condition was described as serious but stable by sources familiar with the situation.
According to witnesses quoted by French media, the fire began in the basement of the club after a sparkler attached to a champagne bottle ignited the low wooden ceiling.
However, Swiss authorities said the flames spread at terrifying speed once they reached the ceiling, triggering what officials described as a “flashover.”
“This caused all combustible materials in the basement venue to ignite almost simultaneously,” officials said, explaining why escape became almost impossible for many victims.
FC Metz confirmed Dos Santos had been staying in a nearby chalet and was due to return to training this week.
In a statement, the club said its leadership, coaching staff, and players were “deeply shocked” by the news.
Moreover, the club said it is providing full support to the player and his family during his recovery.
Meanwhile, the human toll continues to grow. Swiss officials said burn treatment centers across the country were stretched beyond capacity.
Therefore, many critically injured victims were transferred to hospitals in neighboring countries for advanced care.
In addition, Italian authorities reported that as many as 16 Italian nationals remained missing. France’s foreign ministry also confirmed that eight French citizens were still unaccounted for.
Identification has been slow, as many victims were badly burned and could not be recognized visually.
“The severity of the burns is forcing investigators to rely on DNA and dental records,” officials said, warning that the process could take days.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the incident “one of the worst tragedies our country has ever experienced.”
He added that the scale of the loss had plunged Switzerland into mourning at the very start of the new year.
Furthermore, the Swiss nightclub fire has renewed urgent calls for stricter safety checks in entertainment venues.
