“HE SENT ONE LAST MESSAGE TO HIS MOM — THEN THE FIRE TOOK HIM: Teen Golf Star, 17, DIED IN SWISS SKI RESORT INFERNO”

Teen Golfer Named as First Victim of Deadly Ski Resort Fire That Killed at Least 40 and Injured 115

Italian golfer, Emanuele Galeppini, 17, was among the victims of the fatal fire that broke out at a bar in a Swiss ski resort during the early hours of New Year’s Day

The first victim of the deadly bar fire that killed at least 40 people at Switzerland’s Crans-Montana ski resort has been identified as Italian teenage golfer, Emanuele Galeppini.

The Italian Golf Federation confirmed Galeppini’s death in an Instagram post, writing that the sports organization “mourns the passing of Emanuele Galeppini, a young athlete who carried passion and authentic values with him.”

“At this time of great sorrow, our thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him,” the translated post added. “Emanuele, you will forever remain in our hearts.”

The organization added a black and white photo of Galeppini, writing across the image, “Ciao Emanuele,” which translates to “Goodbye Emanuele.”

Galeppini was 17 years old, according to Italian news agency Ansa. PEOPLE has reached out to the Italian Golf Federation.

PEOPLE previously reported that several dozen people were presumed dead following the fire, which occurred during New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana.

The Cantonal Police of Valais then confirmed that around 40 had died in the blaze, which is believed to have caused an explosion, and approximately 115 people had been injured, per a translated news release

Emanuele Galeppini.Credit : Federazione Italiana Golf/Instagram 

In a press conference on Jan. 2, officials said 40 people had died and a total of 119 were injured. Of those injured, 113 people have been identified and their nationalities include 71 Swiss, 14 French, 11 Italians, four Serbian, one Bosnian, one Dutch, one Polish, one Portuguese and one person from Luxembourg. Fourteen people’s nationalities are unknown.

Pierre-Antoine Lengen, head of the Swiss Judicial Police. said identifying the bodies of the dead was the “absolute priority,” and the process is continuing. “No mistakes can be permitted. We need to give the correct remains back to the families,” he said, per the BBC.

Five of the deceased victims have yet to be identified, according to Sky News and Ansa.

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Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said officials believe that the fire started from sparklers being placed on bottles of champagne that were moved too close to the ceiling, and from that a blaze began “quickly,” per a translation. Pilloud said videos had been analyzed and several people had been interviewed.

Stéphane Ganzer, head of the Canton of Valais’ security department, told French show RTL Matin that “between 80 and 100 people” injured in the blaze are in “critical condition.”

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 1, Mathias Reynard, the region’s council leader, said there were people with “severe injuries and severe burns,” noting that identifying the bodies of those who died will take time.

Authorities are pictured at the scene after a fire broke out at a bar in the Swiss Alps on Jan. 1, 2026.MAXIME SCHMID / AFP via Getty 

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Pilloud added that officials do not have a suspect and have not made any arrests, while a member of a fire service said that the fire was an “accident.”

Switzerland’s president, Guy Parmelin, said during the press conference that the tragedy is “a drama of unknown scale,” per a translation.

In a post on X earlier in the day, Parmelin shared, “What was a moment of joy turned into a tragedy in Crans-Montana last night, felt across the country and beyond. The Federal Council has taken note of this with deep dismay. Its thoughts are with the victims, the injured and their families and it extends its deepest condolences.”

Authorities are pictured at the scene after a fire broke out at a bar in the Swiss Alps on Jan. 1, 2026.MAXIME SCHMID / AFP via Getty 

Laetitia Place, 17, was among the survivors of the blaze, telling Reuters that she narrowly escaped.

“We all saw really horrible things that no one should ever have to see,” Place said of being caught in the crowd as hundreds rushed for narrow exits.

“There’s the small door where everyone was pushing, and so we all fell, we were piled on top of each other, some people were burning, and some were dead next to us,” she recounted. “I was so scared — scared for myself, scared for my friends, scared for everyone inside.”

Another survivor, Samuel Rapp, recalled escaping the bar amid “people lying on the ground, probably dead. They had jackets over their faces.”

“Then I received videos where people were trying to get out, but they were trampling over each other, so it was hard to get out through the exit,” he added. “And there were people shouting, saying, “Help me. Please help us.’ “