A courageous father saved over a dozen teenagers trapped in a burning bar during New Year’s celebrations at a luxurious ski resort in Switzerland. The fire tragically claimed 40 lives and injured more than 100 partygoers.
Paolo Campolo, who holds dual citizenship in Italy and Switzerland, was celebrating the New Year at his home in Crans-Montana with his fiancée when his 17-year-old daughter called him. He noticed strange lights outside, coming from Le Constellation next door.
“I was celebrating with my partner and friends,” Campolo recounted. “Then around 1:20 a.m., I saw flames through my window, and my daughter Paolina called, saying, ‘Dad, there’s been a massacre, there’s a fire, and many people are hurt.’”
Campolo, who works as a financial analyst, immediately ended the celebration and dashed toward the nightclub engulfed in chaos. Just moments earlier, partygoers had been waving flaming champagne bottles.
“I grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran into the street,” he recalled.
By the time he reached the bar, the flames were less intense, but thick black smoke enveloped the area.
“The fire was fierce but lasted only a few minutes. Afterward, there was no oxygen inside, which, I think, caused the chaos,” Campolo explained.
He quickly realized a fire extinguisher wouldn’t help and searched for another exit as emergency services had not yet arrived.
With another brave individual, he discovered a locked back door, behind which several teens were still trapped.
“I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be an emergency exit. It seemed open from the outside but was blocked inside. I saw hands and feet through the glass, and one person was motionless on the ground,” he described, visibly shaken.
The duo managed to pry open a window wide enough to help the trapped patrons escape.
“We pushed against the adjacent window with all our strength. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an axe or anything, but somehow, we made it work,” Campolo shared.
Follow The Post’s coverage of deadly Swiss nightclub fire
When he finally made it to the scene, he found Paolina outside, “motionless and in shock.” She had been waiting for her boyfriend, who had escaped but sustained severe burns and was in critical condition.
Paolina had returned from school in Geneva, intending to celebrate with her father before heading to the bar.
“She was saved by a twist of fate. If she had arrived earlier or later, it could’ve turned out differently,” Campolo reflected.
Though hospitalized for smoke inhalation, Paolina was unharmed. His fiancée, on the other hand, was severely injured and remains hospitalized.
Despite the chaos, Campolo noticed that many of those inside were very young. “It felt like a gathering for minors. I saw young girls in miniskirts and trendy tops among those affected,” he remarked.
Swiss authorities have since launched a criminal investigation against the bar owners for potential involuntary manslaughter and misconduct.
Campolo described the frantic scene, with fellow civilians rescuing those who were injured and confused. “All I could think was that they could be my kids,” he expressed.
“The sheer desperation in their eyes when they know they might not make it—it’s something that stays with you,” he added quietly.
He was shocked to discover that there seemed to be no other escape route for those trapped inside, leading to a tragic loss of life.
The investigation continues as everyone processes the impact of this devastating fire.
