Tragedy in the Swiss Alps: Black Teen Witnesses Deadly Fire at New Year’s Bash

By Rob Redding

Editor & Publisher

NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2025, 7 p.m. — A night of celebration turned into horror as a devastating fire ripped through a popular bar high in the Swiss Alps, claiming at least 40 lives and leaving dozens more injured in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Seventeen-year-old Ebenezer Mehari, who is Black, was among the revelers ringing in the new year at the Constellation Bar when disaster struck. He told NBC News he stepped outside for a breather and that is when the chaos erupted.

“I heard a big boom, and everybody started screaming,” Mehari recounted, his voice trembling. “Then thick smoke took over everything. I couldn’t see anything.”

The teen, who has lived in the area for 15 years, said he was blinded and fell to the ground before being pulled to safety by a stranger. But his friends were not so lucky.

“I have four friends who died,” he said quietly, still struggling to process the loss. “It’s not real to me.”

The scene was horrific. Witnesses saw disfigured bodies, hair and clothes engulfed in flames, and people dying right in front of their eyes. One girl’s face was burned so badly it was red, Mehari said, describing the nightmare he couldn’t escape.

The bar was a favorite among local teens. The legal drinking age in Switzerland is just 16. Now, the community mourns and searches for answers as investigators piece together what went wrong.

Survivors, including Mehari, are being treated for severe burns and trauma at a hospital in Sion. Doctors warn some will face months of recovery and lifelong scars.

As the world mourns this tragic loss, the Swiss authorities vow a thorough investigation into the deadly blaze that has shattered a once joyful celebration.

Rob Redding is the author of Black Power in the Age of Artificial Supremacy Featuring Redding-Shim Kwet Yung out on Amazon.com now. He is the bestselling author of 17 books. He is the host of Redding News Review Unrestricted and creator of ReddingNewsReview.com. He is also an emerging visual artist who lives and teaches at two colleges in New York City.