Tahirys Dos Santos, the 19-year-old FC Metz player, has spoken about his harrowing escape from the Constellation fire in Crans-Montana on 1 January, which claimed 41 lives.
He and his girlfriend, Coline, were both seriously injured as they tried to flee the blaze.
In an interview with Paris Match, Dos Santos described the moment the flames engulfed the venue. Showing remarkable courage, he returned to find his girlfriend, who was still in the restroom.
“I didn’t think twice, I turned around and ran to get Coline. There was no way I was leaving without her. […] She didn’t ask any questions and came. We ran down the stairs,” he recounted.
Separated briefly in the chaos, both sustained severe injuries before being taken to hospital. Each suffered burns covering approximately 30% of their bodies, though Dos Santos’s injuries were slightly less severe.
He sustained burns to his back, arm, and the back of his head but did not require a coma and underwent only surgery. “I feel much better. I still have burns on my arms, hands, face, and back,” he said.
Coline faced a more difficult recovery. Although her chest, stomach, and face were spared, she required three operations and was in a coma for three weeks. The couple has since been reunited in a hospital in Metz.
The Constellation fire, one of the deadliest in recent Swiss history, left families and communities in shock. Survivors like Dos Santos and Coline are now slowly recovering, recounting the trauma of the event and the determination it took to survive.
Their story highlights both the devastating human cost of the fire and the extraordinary courage shown by those caught in the tragedy.
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