A young French footballer suffered severe burns in the Swiss ski resort fire that killed around 40 people during New Year’s Eve celebrations, his club confirmed Thursday.
Tahirys Dos Santos, a 19 year old defender with FC Metz, was airlifted by helicopter to a specialist burns hospital in Germany following the blaze at Le Constellation bar in Crans Montana. The fire erupted around 1:30 a.m. local time Thursday in the upscale Swiss Alps resort.
FC Metz released a statement announcing Dos Santos had been injured in the fire, stating he was severely burned and airlifted to Germany where he is currently receiving treatment. The club said its leadership, coaching staff and players were deeply shocked by the news and are supporting him and his family as he recovers.
Dos Santos had been vacationing in the Swiss Alps with friends and staying at a chalet when the fire broke out. He was scheduled to return to training Friday. According to French newspaper L’Equipe, the young footballer had called his agent on December 31 to say he was working hard on his fitness with goals of becoming a permanent first team member.
His agent, Christophe Hutteau, told French media outlet RMC Sport that Dos Santos is currently not in a condition to speak. He revealed that when the player regained consciousness, the first thing he kept asking doctors was about the whereabouts of his friends. Hutteau said Dos Santos’ girlfriend was also seriously injured and hospitalized.
The agent provided details about the footballer’s condition. Contrary to what doctors had feared earlier today, he didn’t need to be put on a ventilator, so his lung function is sufficient without respiratory support, Hutteau stated. Given that he’s in a specialist burns unit, you can sadly imagine the physical condition Tahirys is in.
Hutteau acknowledged significant psychological trauma beyond the physical injuries. I hope his dream won’t be shattered, but the football side isn’t very important today, he told RMC Sport. What’s important is that he regains his physical and moral integrity. Beyond the physical suffering, there’s real psychological suffering. He lived through the trauma.
The agent praised FC Metz’s response to the crisis. The humanity of this club particularly touched me, Hutteau said. I know that the exchanges between Tahirys’ parents and the club president or sporting director have been incredibly humane. The club is working closely with medical authorities to arrange Dos Santos’ transfer to Mercy Hospital near his family home.
Dos Santos, who holds both French and Cape Verdean citizenship, plays as a left back for FC Metz B in the fifth tier of French football. He was promoted to captain of the reserve team in August 2025 and received his first senior call up for a Coupe de France match in December, appearing on the bench on December 20.
The fire at Le Constellation killed around 40 people and injured 115 others, many seriously, according to Swiss police commander Frédéric Gisler. Authorities did not immediately have an exact count of the deceased and warned that identifying victims would take several days because many bodies were badly burned.
Two women who were inside the bar told French broadcaster BFMTV they saw a male bartender lifting a female bartender on his shoulders as she held a lit candle in a bottle. The flames spread across the ceiling super quickly, one of the witnesses stated. The pair said they were able to climb a narrow staircase to the ground floor and escape before the fire reached that level minutes later.
Italian media reported that 47 people died in the blaze by Thursday afternoon, citing local sources. Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland, Gian Lorenzo Cornado, told Sky TG24 that 13 wounded were Italian citizens and another six Italians remained unaccounted for. France’s foreign ministry said eight French nationals were missing and could not rule out that French citizens were among the dead.
Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general for the Valais canton, said authorities are prioritizing the identification of victims and return of bodies to families. She stated it was too early to determine the cause of the fire but ruled out any kind of attack. The main working assumption is that a general fire caused an explosion inside the venue.
Swiss hospitals across multiple cities admitted burn victims, including 22 patients at Lausanne University Hospital and 12 at University Hospital Zurich. Both facilities house Switzerland’s specialist burns units. The youngest patient admitted was reportedly 16 years old. Neighboring countries including France, Germany and Italy offered to treat patients with severe burns as Swiss burn units became overwhelmed.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the blaze one of the worst tragedies the country has ever experienced. He said many of the victims were young people and described what was meant to be a moment of joy turning into mourning that touches the entire country and far beyond. Switzerland declared five days of national mourning.
Crans Montana is located in the heart of the Swiss Alps, approximately 40 kilometers north of the Matterhorn. The resort is known internationally as a ski and golf venue and is scheduled to host the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2027. It will also host top men’s and women’s downhill racers, including Lindsey Vonn, for their final events before the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.
