'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Loved Ones of Missing Teenagers Desperately Seek Answers After Alpine Fire

The families of teenagers missing after a deadly inferno at a establishment in a Swiss alpine town are confronting an agonising period of uncertainty for official news and requesting any details about their children via social media.

The inferno engulfed the a popular bar in the alpine resort, located in the Swiss Alps of the Valais region, in the middle of the night of the first day of the year. Circulated footage show the ceiling igniting as beverages with fireworks are held aloft.

Authorities have warned that it could take considerable time to identify the fatalities of the fire, which claimed the lives of 40 people and injured another over a hundred. Authorities noted on Friday that 113 of the those hurt have been accounted for, with efforts ongoing to name the remaining few.

In the meantime, loved ones have been using the internet to request any news about their friends who were at the bar that fateful night.

Appeals for the Unaccounted For

The whereabouts of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, are currently unknown, according to an heartfelt request from his mother.

The resident of a town near the city, told a publication that she had gone back to Lausanne to check whether he was in the medical facility, while his other parent did the same in Bern, but could not find him.

"I'm living a nightmare, an ordeal. Either I find my son in the hospital mortuary, or I find him in a serious state. It's horrific," she told the paper.

She explained that some of his peers had been located with injuries covering nearly half their bodies. "It's indescribable; they experienced an absolute nightmare."

The Italian foreign ministry has indicated that a number of of its young people have not been located.

Among them is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old promising athlete, originally from Italy but now living in the UAE.

The national sporting body has said that he is no longer with us, without directly referencing the fire, honoring a "talented young man who represented dedication and true sportsmanship."

His father, reportedly stated that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around midnight. An official spokesperson has clarified that a formal confirmation of his death is still pending.

Further Missing Individuals

Giovanni Tamburi, 16, is likewise among the missing. His parent told reporters that he had been on holiday but had gone out with a group and found himself at the bar.

"A companion informed me they escaped after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a certain point he they were separated," she recounted, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.

One of his teachers commented, "He was known for his good nature and positive demeanor, combined with great responsibility. He would frequently offer to help out."

Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek citizenship but lives full-time in the country, was also at the bar on New Year's Eve, according to reports.

Her sibling has shared an appeal on social media, saying the relatives has had "no information" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.

Consular authorities from her other nation say they are closely watching the situation.