In a new statement, King Charles has expressed his sadness over the tragic fire in Switzerland.
A deadly blaze tore through a bar at a ski resort in Switzerland in the early hours of Thursday (January 1). At least 40 people have reportedly died and another 115 injured in the tragedy.
It happened during New Year celebrations at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, a popular ski resort in southwestern Switzerland.
Now, the king has issued a heartfelt message to those affected by the horrific incident.
King Charles ‘appalled’ by Switzerland fire
The fire broke out at just after half past one in the morning local time, with dozens of ambulances and hundreds of emergency responders sent to the scene.
While investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire, they have reportedly ruled out the possibility of an attack.
Taking to the royal family’s official social media channels on Thursday night, the king shared a personal message on behalf of himself and Queen Camilla to all those affected by the tragedy.
“My wife and I were appalled, and greatly saddened, to learn of the devastating fire last night in Crans-Montana, in Switzerland,” he wrote. “It is utterly heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families instead turned to such nightmarish tragedy.”
It is utterly heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families instead turned to such nightmarish tragedy.
The king continued: “While offering our admiration for the heroic first responders and the selfless emergency services, we wanted, above all, to convey our deepest possible sympathy to all those who have been so dreadfully affected by this horrific disaster. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of all those who have so tragically lost their lives and with those who remain in a critical condition in hospital.”
The monarch then signed off the message: “Charles R.”
Investigation into Switzerland fire ongoing
The identities of many of the victims of the fire, believed to be of several different nationalities, remain unknown.
Officials have warned that the identification process could take weeks, due to the severity of the fire.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office told the BBC: “Our thoughts are with all those injured and killed in the terrible tragedy in Crans-Montana, and we pay tribute to the Swiss emergency services who are leading the response.”
“We will continue to monitor the situation, and our consular staff stand ready to support any British nationals.”
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King Charles has often spoken out on tragedies around the world. Just last month, he spoke about the horrific mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the recent fire in Switzerland “one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced”.
Our thoughts are with those affected.
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