Hero teenage boxer, 18, who died trying to save his friend in the Swiss bar inferno was the son of a British expat
A teenage boxer hailed as a hero after dying while trying to save his friend from a bar fire at a Swiss ski resort was the son of a British expat, the Daily Mail can reveal.
Benjamin Johnson, 18, was among the 40 victims of the New Year’s Eve inferno that tore through the popular Constellation bar in Crans-Montana.
His father, Matthew Johnson, 57, is originally from Bradford and moved to Switzerland to work in the tourism industry.
He later met his wife, Nathalie, an HR administrator. The couple went on to have Benjamin and his sister Chloe before settling in Lutry, a suburb of Lausanne.
Pictures on Mr. Johnson’s social media show him and Benjamin cheering on England against Russia at Euro 2016, as well as meeting then-England manager Roy Hodgson.
Other poignant snaps show the family enjoying skiing trips and beach holidays together.
On Sunday evening, Chloe paid tribute to Benjamin on Instagram, calling him ‘my angel’, alongside a black-and-white photograph of him as a baby, clutching a teddy bear.
Last night, a relative in Halifax, West Yorkshire, was too upset to speak, saying only: ‘We’ve had a s*** couple of days.’
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Benjamin Johnson, 18, was among the 40 victims of the New Year’s Eve inferno that tore through the popular Constellation bar in Crans-Montana
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On Sunday evening, Johnson’s sister Chloe paid tribute to Benjamin on Instagram, calling him ‘my angel’
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Pictures on Mr Johnson’s social media show him and Benjamin cheering on England against Russiaat Euro 2016
On Saturday, the Swiss Boxing Federation paid tribute to the young victim, branding him a ‘hero’ in an emotional Instagram post.
‘It is with deep sadness that SwissBoxing learned of the death of Benjamin Johnson (Club Lausannois de Boxing), a victim of the tragedy in Crans-Montana,’ the post read.
‘Benjamin left us as a hero, helping his friend. Our thoughts are with his family, relatives, and all the victims of this national tragedy.’
Swiss Boxing president Amir Orfia added: ‘This ultimate act of selflessness perfectly reflects who he was: someone who always helped others. Benjamin was a promising athlete and a radiant personality.
‘Having watched him grow up, first as a boxer and then as his coach, I remember him as a young man who was always positive, smiling, and respectful. He was always the first to support his teammates.’
The fire, believed to have been caused by wait staff waving champagne bottles plugged with sparklers close to the ceiling, spread through Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana at 1.30am on January 1.
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The 40 revellers killed in Swiss bar inferno: Boxer died a hero and boy caught by twist of fate
Investigators believe it then rapidly developed into a ‘flashover’ – likely igniting much of the venue in seconds and rendering escape almost impossible.
Forty people hailing from seven different countries were killed: 26 of those were aged between 14 and 18.
Some were burnt beyond recognition and were only identified through the use of DNA analysis.
Among the dead were 10 Swiss males aged 16 to 31; 11 Swiss females aged 14 to 24; one 24-year-old woman who held dual Swiss-French nationality; three 16-year-old Italian boys and two Italian girls aged 15 and 16, and five French males aged 14 to 39.
Two French women aged 33 and 26; a 15-year-old girl with triple British-French-Israeli nationality; a 16-year-old boy who held dual Italian-UAE nationality; an 18-year-old Romanian boy; a Belgian 17-year-old girl; a Portuguese 22-year-old woman, and an 18-year-old Turkish boy were also identified.
The 15-year-old British schoolgirl, Charlotte Niddam, was identified yesterday with the help of Zaka, the Israeli emergency services organisation.
‘This is a very painful and difficult moment,’ said Zaka official Nachman Dickstein, according to Channel 12.
‘We’re still at work here with all of the officials, local authorities, Jewish communal representatives, and an Israeli delegation to ensure that every stage [of the process] is carried out with sensitivity and the appropriate respect for the deceased and their families.’
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The body of the victim, believed to be Charlotte Niddam, was reportedly identified with the help of Zaka, the Israeli emergency services organisation
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Achille Barosi died after returning to Le Constellation to retrieve his phone and jacket just as the fire broke out
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Alice Kallergis had been reported missing after going on what amounted to her first night out
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Giovanni Tamburi, 16, lived with his mother in Italy but had gone to Switzerland to holiday with his father
In a post on social media, her family said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beautiful daughter and sister, Charlotte.
‘Details regarding the funeral arrangements will follow shortly. It is most likely on Thursday in Paris. Thank you for all your support those last few days.’
Achille Osvaldo Giovanni Barosi, 16, went back to Le Constellation at 1.30am on New Year’s Day after leaving without his phone and jacket.
Moments later, the fire took hold – and the teenager from Milan was later confirmed to be among the dead.
Greek-Swiss citizen Alice Kallergis, 15, had been on her first night out with her older brother Romain, the pair having skied at Crans-Montana all their lives.
Romain told Metro that they had spent New Year’s Eve together before electing to go to different clubs: she fatefully chose to go to Le Constellation just minutes before the fire broke out.
Teenager Giovanni Tamburi, 16, hailed from Bologna in Italy but had gone to Crans-Montana for a holiday with his father, who has a house in Switzerland.
A student at Righi High School, he is said to have gone to Le Constellation after a dinner with friends – but never made it home.
Émilie Pralong was known to have gone to Crans-Montana with friends on New Year’s Eve – but could not be reached by her family after the fire.
Tragically, the 22-year-old’s heartbroken grandfather Pierre Pralong has since confirmed to the New York Times that she was among those lost in the blaze.
Tristan Pidoux, 17, had been at Le Constellation celebrating the New Year with his friends, according to an appeal on social media.
The Swiss national had initially been named as among the missing before the worst was confirmed by authorities on Saturday.
Sixteen-year-old Chiara Costanzo from Milan was one of the six Italian nationals confirmed dead in the fire.
Her heartbroken father, Andrea Costanzo, confirmed to Corriere della Sera: ‘I just received the phone call that should never come to a father. A dull, unspeakable pain: my beloved Chiara is no longer with us.’
Sofia Prosperi, 15, grew up in Castel San Pietro in the Swiss canton of Ticino, and had been attending the top International School of Como in Italy at the time of her death.
Italian media reported that the Italo-Swiss national had joined a group of friends to return to Switzerland to see in the New Year when tragedy struck.
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Footage shows flames ripping through the Crans-Montana club as revellers continue singing, dancing and shouting – unaware they are already trapped in extreme danger
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In video footage someone can be seen trying desperately to extinguish the fire, but within seconds it takes hold, erupting into a deadly fireball that engulfs the packed bar
Rome native Riccardo Minghetti, 16, was reported by local media to have gone to Le Constellation with his sister Matilde – but she was outside when the fire started.
The pair had gone to Crans-Montana as their mother owns there. He was a member of EUR Sporting Club.
Matilde suffered minor injuries to her hands as she tried to push through the crowds looking for her brother; his parents Massimo and Carla were then told on Sunday morning that he did not make it out alive.
Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, was confirmed to be among the dead by his heartbroken mother Laetitia in a video on social media.
And promising golfer Emanuele Galeppini, 17, was confirmed among the dead by the Italian Golf Federation in a post on social media.
The youngster, who lived in Dubai and attended its Swiss International School, was remembered by the professional association as ‘a young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values’.
Another 116 were injured, some of them still fighting for their lives. Le Constellation’s French owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are under investigation, suspected of manslaughter, bodily harm, and causing a fire, all by way of negligence.
Investigators are examining whether the soundproof material used on the ceiling of the bar conformed to safety measures.
Former staff have also claimed that safety standards at the club were poor, alleging that fire extinguishers were kept under lock and key and that the bar’s emergency exit was often locked.
