A teenager who previously studied at two British schools has been confirmed as one of the victims of a fire at a bar at a Swiss ski resort. Charlotte Niddam, believed to be 15, was at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana to celebrate the New Year on December 31.
The death of the girl, who previously attended Immanuel College, a private school in Hertfordshire, and the Jewish Free School in north-west London, was announced by her family in a post on social media. It read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beautiful daughter and sister, Charlotte.
“Details regarding the funeral arrangements will follow shortly. It is most likely on Thursday in Paris. Thank you for all your support those last few days.”
Charlotte held Israeli, French and British citizenship, The Times of Israel reports.
At least 40 people died in a devastating fire as they were celebrating the arrival of 2026 at Le Constellation bar on Thursday. A further 119 were injured.
The victims range in age from 14 to 39 years old, with many of the casualties being teenagers.
Among the other young victims who have been publicly named are 17-year-old Emanuele Galeppini and 16-year-old Chiara Costanzo, both Italian nationals. Swiss 16-year-old Arthur Brodard has also been named.
On Sunday morning, mourners attended a mass at Chapelle Saint-Christope before joining a silent march to the bar where the incident happened.
Among those gathered were emergency service workers.
Police said to have identified the bodies of all those who have died in the incident. Separately, the Italian ambassador to Switzerland, Gian Lorenzo Cornado, said on Saturday the identification process had been slow because of the severity of the burns many victims had suffered.
A preliminary investigation has found that sparklers on bottles being carried too close to the ceiling may be the cause of the blaze. An investigation into the cause of the fire continues.
Beatrice Pilloud, Valais canton lead prosecutor, said investigators were looking into whether the acoustic foam on the venue’s ceiling was “the cause of the problem”, as well as “whether it complies with regulations”.