On January 1, 2026, just after 1:30 a.m. local time, a fire broke out inside the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, during New Year’s celebrations. The blaze spread rapidly through the crowded venue, trapping revelers and blocking exits.
Swiss authorities have reported at least 40 people killed and about 115 injured, many of them severely, and the number of victims could still rise as identification continues. Among those affected are 13 Italians receiving medical care and six young Italian nationals still listed as missing, leaving families in anguish.
Paolo Campolo, a 55-year-old Italian financial analyst who lives near the site, became widely known for his actions during the disaster. When his daughter called him to say smoke was filling the streets and people were desperately trying to escape the burning bar, Campolo didn’t hesitate. He grabbed a fire extinguisher from home and ran toward the chaos.
At first, he encountered blocked exits and thick, choking smoke, but he and another bystander eventually forced open a side door that had been closed from the inside. The moment the door swung open, injured and disoriented party-goers surged out, some collapsing to the floor as they gasped for air.
Despite the risk of smoke inhalation and worsening conditions inside, Campolo began pulling people out one at a time. He helped at least 10 teenagers, away from the flames, dragging them through the debris and toward where rescuers were starting to arrive. Many of those he aided were badly burned or struggling to breathe, and his quick thinking helped prevent even more deaths in the early minutes of the crisis.
Campolo was eventually treated in a local hospital for smoke inhalation but spoke afterward about how he wasn’t thinking about his own safety once he saw how many young lives were at risk. He later said that the cries for help sounded like those of his own children, a motivation that kept him going in those terrifying moments. His courage has become a focal point in an otherwise tragic story, symbolizing the instinct some people showed to help others amid one of the worst holiday incidents in recent European memory.
