Cyane Panine was the heart of the Swiss bar, a girl whose energy could fill a room

TEARS FLOWING: Minutes before the tragedy, “The girl in the helmet,” 24-year-old Cyane Panine, the “adopted daughter” of Le Constellation, was smiling brightly, wearing a helmet, sitting on a colleague’s shoulders, and happily holding a champagne bottle with a sparkler attached, amidst the lively New Year’s party…

She was just working, bringing joy to everyone, treated like a daughter by the owner, even celebrating Christmas with their family! Then the sparkler hit the flammable foam ceiling, and the flashover engulfed everything… Meanwhile, the owner – the heartless one – was NOT present at the restaurant, abandoning the staff and hundreds of young people in a hellish inferno. Cyane suffocated in smoke amidst the crowd, and no one was able to save her in time  My heart breaks knowing she only wanted to “liven up the atmosphere”…
But the last message between Cyane and the owner revealed a horrifying truth about their indifference….
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The devastating fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on the night of December 31, 2025, into January 1, 2026, claimed 40 lives and injured 116 others, many with severe, life-threatening burns. The tragedy, one of the deadliest in modern Swiss history, unfolded in a packed basement venue during exuberant New Year’s celebrations, where a seemingly festive tradition turned catastrophic.

Among the victims was Cyane Panine, a 24-year-old waitress originally from Sète in southeastern France, who had dual French-Swiss nationality. Cyane had been working at the bar for several years, becoming an integral part of the team. The owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, described her as family-like, referring to her as their “stepdaughter” or “like a little sister.” She had even celebrated holidays, including Christmas, with them, highlighting the deep personal bonds she formed in the Alpine resort.

Minutes before the blaze erupted around 1:26 a.m. CET, Cyane was captured in haunting photos and videos embodying the night’s joy. Smiling brightly, she wore a crash helmet for what appeared to be a playful or themed element of the celebration, perched on a colleague’s shoulders while holding a champagne bottle topped with a lit sparkler. This image, widely circulated in media reports, shows her enthusiastically participating in the bar’s signature ritual: servers carrying bottles with “fountain candles” or sparklers to “liven up the atmosphere,” as Jessica Moretti reportedly encouraged her to do.

Here are poignant images from the moments leading up to the fire, showing the sparkler tradition in action at Le Constellation:

nypost.com

Haunting photo shows revelers’ flaming champagne bottles as Swiss …

This haunting photograph captures revelers with flaming champagne bottles as the ceiling begins to catch fire, illustrating how close the sparks were to the flammable materials above.

Swiss investigators believe sparkling candles ignited fatal bar …

Emergency responders and the chaotic scene outside the bar as thick smoke engulfs the street, underscoring the rapid escalation of the inferno.

Tragically, the sparkler held aloft by Cyane — or in close proximity during the routine — ignited the ceiling’s soundproofing foam, which investigators believe was highly flammable and not adequately checked for compliance. The fire spread in a deadly flashover, consuming the basement in seconds amid choking black smoke and panic. Witnesses described screams, people banging on doors that wouldn’t open, and a rapid, overwhelming heat that left little time to escape.

Cyane suffocated amid the chaos, reportedly found in a pile of bodies behind a locked or obstructed door. The Morettis, in emotional accounts given to investigators and media, recounted forcing open a door and discovering her among the fallen victims. They expressed profound devastation, emphasizing their close relationship with her and the horror of the night. Jessica Moretti had urged staff like Cyane to energize the crowd, unaware of the impending disaster.

Here are additional images related to Cyane and the aftermath, including memorials and the bar’s charred remains:

telegraph.co.uk

Waitress ‘who accidentally started Swiss bar fire’ was killed in blaze

A photo of Cyane Panine, the 24-year-old waitress identified as the woman in the helmet holding sparklers moments before the tragedy.

en.wikipedia.org

2026 Crans-Montana bar fire – Wikipedia

The aftermath of Le Constellation the day after the fire, with investigators on site and the building cordoned off.

The owners’ presence during the incident has been a point of scrutiny. Reports indicate that Jacques Moretti was not on the premises that night, while Jessica Moretti was present and escaped. The couple has since cooperated with authorities, stating they are “devastated” and will not “dérober” (evade) responsibility. An ongoing criminal investigation targets them for suspected negligence-related offenses, including homicide by negligence, amid questions about fire safety compliance, the lack of recent inspections (none since 2019), and door accessibility during the panic.

Cyane’s death has drawn widespread tributes, particularly in her hometown of Sète, where over a thousand people gathered with flowers for a memorial, and her body was repatriated. Described as “adorable,” “lovely,” and full of life by those who knew her — including her family who run a craft brewery and brasserie — she had previously worked seasonally in Crans-Montana. Her mother identified her body, and friends remembered her kindness and enthusiasm.

The broader tragedy has left communities grieving a lost generation, with many victims teenagers. National mourning, silent marches, and calls for stricter regulations on indoor pyrotechnics and venue safety continue in Switzerland. Cyane Panine, who only sought to bring joy to the party, symbolizes the heartbreaking irony: a moment of celebration that ended in irreversible loss.

As investigations proceed, the focus remains on preventing such preventable heartbreak, honoring the victims through meaningful change.