A former pupil at a British school is among the missing after a deadly inferno ripped through a Swiss ski bar on New Years Eve.
Charlotte Niddam, who previously attended Immanuel College – a private Jewish school in Hertfordshire – is one of the two named people confirmed as missing.
The schoolgirl, believed to be 15, has not been heard from since a fire tore through a packed bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, leaving nearly 50 people dead and another 115 injured.
A statement issued by Immanuel College confirmed Charlotte was missing.
‘We are reaching out with an urgent request for our school community to come together in support of Charlotte Niddam’, the statement read.
‘Charlotte was a student at Immanuel College, and her family have now moved back to France.
‘The families have asked that we all keep them in our thoughts and prayers during this extremely difficult time. We are all praying for a miracle for Charlotte and the others, and want the families to feel the full strength of the Immanuel College community’s support’.
Images of the missing teen were shared in a post on the Instagram account, @cransmontana.avisderecherche, set up to help locate survivors.
British-educated Charlotte Niddam is among the missing after a deadly fire tore through a bar in the Swiss Alps
People embrace each other outside the ‘Le Constellation’ bar, after a fire and explosion during a New Year’s Eve party where several people died and others were injured, in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland, January 2, 2026
High quality photographs show the very first moments of the Swiss Constellation Bar fire in Crans-Montana, where dozens died on New Year’s Eve
The Instagram account said the teen was a babysitter, and that she visits the Alpine ski resort very often.
Friends at her former UK school posted a series of pictures of Charlotte on TikTok.
Charlotte and her family lived in an affluent area close to Watford, Hertfordshire, before leaving the UK, according to The Sun.
The teenager was described by a former neighbour as ‘kind’ and ‘so clever’.
Her parents are French but are understood to have lived in England for several years.
One friend called Mia wrote on the social platform: ‘My sweet sweet special Lottie I love you more than the meaning of life. I need my best friend I miss you.’
Another friend, Sujmmer, posted a compilation of videos of the two pals together, captioning the post: ‘I miss my best friend @Charlotte niddam #CransMontana.’
Investigators said on Friday that they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire at a Swiss ski resort when they came too close to the ceiling of a bar crowded with New Year’s Eve revelers.
Authorities planned to look into whether the sound-dampening material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether sparklers were permitted for use in the bar.
Footage shows the deadly flashover, when extreme heat caused everything inside the enclosed space to ignite almost at once, leaving people little chance to flee
The schoolgirl, believed to be 15, has not been heard from since a fire tore through a packed bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland
The candles, which give off a stream of upward-shooting sparks, were the same type that is commonly available for parties, officials said.
Forty people were killed and another 119 injured in the blaze early Thursday as it ripped through the busy Le Constellation bar at the ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities said. It was one of the worst tragedies in Switzerland’s history.
Many of the wounded were in their teens to mid-20s, police said.
Officials said they would also look at other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes.
Beatrice Pilloud, the attorney general for the Valais region, warned of possible prosecutions if any criminal liability is found.
The injured included 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French and 11 Italians, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland, according to Frédéric Gisler, police commander of the Valais region.
The nationalities of 14 people were still unclear.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
Soucre: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15429617/Former-pupil-British-school-missing-Swiss-ski-resort-inferno-Former-teachers-say-prayers.html
