A courageous father has been hailed as a hero after he took decisive action to rescue 10 people from a ski resort bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
On New Year’s Eve, a tragic fire erupted inside the Le Constellation bar, resulting in the deaths of 40 individuals and injuries to over 100 more.
The blaze swept through the venue, leaving those celebrating the arrival of the new year desperately trying to escape.
After an investigation, it has been concluded that the fire originated from sparklers placed in champagne bottles.
The sparklers reportedly came too close to the ceiling during the evening’s festivities, ultimately igniting the fire.
Online videos and photos showed people holding bottles of champagne with sparklers inserted in them.
One individual, Paolo Campolo, aged 55, recounted how he became involved in the incident when his 17-year-old daughter, who was supposed to attend, stopped by his home on her way to the bar.
Paolina was planning to meet her boyfriend but decided to visit her father’s house for a New Year’s celebration first.
“It was our fault she was late: She should have been at that club already at midnight. Today I can say it without exaggeration, that delay saved her life,” he mentioned in an interview with Il Messaggero, translated into English.
Upon arriving at the bar, Paolina called her father for assistance, prompting him to rush over with a fire extinguisher in hand.
Paolina’s boyfriend, waiting at the entrance, managed to escape but sustained severe injuries.
“He was behind the door. He managed to get out right in front of her eyes. He saved himself by a matter of seconds, but now he is hospitalized in very serious condition in Basel with severe burns,” Paolo shared from his hospital bed.
“She was saved by an incredible chain of events. A moment earlier or later, and it would have been a different story.”
In the midst of the tragedy, Paolo succeeded in saving 10 individuals by breaking through a blocked door.
“I forced my way in, and that’s how I managed to save ten young people. There were many Italians there… Through the glass, I could see feet and hands. Bodies on the ground,” he recounted.
“I can only tell you that several bodies fell on top of us. They were young people, alive but burned. Some were conscious, others weren’t. They were asking for help in various languages, including Italian.”
He expressed that during the rescue efforts, one thought remained with him: “They could be my children.”
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