On that fatal New Year’s Eve, when a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana in Switzerland, where 41 people burned alive, Gaetan was working as a bartender. After two weeks of hospitalization, eight of which he spent in a coma, he managed to return to his parents’ home in southern France. The 28-year-old bartender spoke to Swiss broadcaster RTS and presents his own version of events, expressing deep disappointment that his former employers are shifting blame to employees for the deadly fire at the bar in the popular Swiss resort. “At that moment I held no grudge against them,” he recounts. “I don’t have the knowledge to blame them regarding the fire’s ignition or causes. But when I see how they’re gradually trying to shirk their responsibilities, I’m getting increasingly angry. I find it absurd that they’re shifting the blame to employees.”
Crans-Montana: Gaetan’s ordeal
The young Frenchman remained in a coma for eight days. Doctors were primarily concerned about possible lung collapse and kidney infection. He also suffered burns on various parts of his body – his hands, back, the back of his head and face – yet considers himself lucky to have survived. On New Year’s Eve, Gaetan was working at the upper bar. The evening had started peacefully, but around 1:30 after midnight he realized something unusual was happening on the lower floor. “I remember the first screams, the first warnings when the fire broke out, and the feeling of panic that overwhelmed me,” he says. His first instinct was to see what was happening and try to help. “I hadn’t realized the magnitude of the tragedy that was unfolding.” He managed to get down to the last steps.
“I remember protecting my face with my hand to inhale as little smoke as possible and pulling a person to help them. Then I think the crowd that had gathered trying to get out of the stairway pushed me.” He believes he lost consciousness then, as he doesn’t remember what happened next. “Maybe it was better that way, because I didn’t see – or don’t remember seeing – corpses or people burning, images that some will carry for the rest of their lives.”
“We knew that for the owners the goal was simply to make money”
The young bartender had started working at the specific bar in early December and admits he was looking forward to this new experience at the cosmopolitan resort of Crans-Montana. However, disappointment came quickly. “We were selling expired beer cans. I was making paninis with bread frozen for over a year. Even the mozzarella we used was expired,” he denounces. He also remembers that the clientele was very young. “It seemed shocking to me. I tried to check IDs, but they often showed them on mobile phones and I couldn’t confirm if they were genuine. And we knew that for the owners the goal was simply to make money.” He had decided to resign and had announced it to his parents, but wanted to complete the month to get paid for December.
“Fire will now frighten me”
When he regained consciousness the day after the tragedy, he was deeply shaken. “I was crying constantly. And one of the first things I told my mother was: I can never work in a bar again. I was in shock. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see candlelight again. Fire will now frighten me.” He’s still haunted by thoughts of friends and colleagues. “Every day I think about it before going to sleep. It’s difficult, because I remember my colleague Cyane whom I loved very much. I remember my former roommate, Matteo. He was injured more seriously than me and continues to fight in the hospital.” “It’s difficult, but I try above all to focus on my recovery. I’ve scheduled appointments with psychologists specialized in this type of trauma.
We must talk and ask for help; it’s very important, because what we experienced that night was deeply shocking.” The fire at Le Constellation bar, which claimed victims mainly teenagers and young adults, was caused according to the investigation by sparks from “fountain” candles that fell onto the sound-absorbing foam material on the basement ceiling. The French couple who owned the bar are being investigated for “manslaughter through negligence, bodily harm through negligence and causing fire through negligence.” The criminal investigation also targets two safety officials from the Crans-Montana community, who admitted to having failed to conduct safety and fire inspections at the bar since 2019, when these should have been annual.
