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Warning: This article contains details of fire disasters that some readers may find distressing.
Two tragedies, one horrifying pattern
Gina Russo was attending a Great White concert with her fiancé, Fred Crisostomi, in February 2003 when pyrotechnics ignited acoustic foam panels at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Within seconds, flames engulfed the venue. Russo escaped, but Fred did not survive the blaze that killed 100 people.
Twenty-two years later, history repeated itself in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. On New Year's Day 2026, sparklers set off during celebrations at Le Constellation bar triggered a nearly identical inferno. Forty lives were lost, and dozens more suffered severe burns. Investigators say the fire spread rapidly across foam-lined ceilings, mirroring the Rhode Island disaster.
Pyrotechnics and flammable materials: A lethal combination
Fire safety consultant Richard Hagger, who analyzed both incidents, attributes the Swiss fire to indoor sparklers. He believes the acoustic foam in both venues accelerated the flames, turning a spark into a deadly blaze. "If the foam had been fire-retardant, it would have smoldered rather than burned," Hagger told BBC News.
Experts describe the phenomenon as a "flashover fire," where superheated air rises to the ceiling, then spreads downward, igniting everything in its path. In Rhode Island, footage from a local TV crew-filming a safety segment at the club-showed flames reaching the ceiling in 25 seconds. Within 90 seconds, toxic smoke filled the building, and conditions became lethal.
"It's a nightmare when the fuel is in the ceiling. You don't have time. Flashover happens, and survivability is unlikely."
Prof. Ed Galea, fire safety expert
Galea's simulations of The Station fire revealed temperatures inside the club reached 700°C (1,292°F) within 80 seconds. Swiss authorities suspect the Crans-Montana fire followed a similar timeline, with sparklers igniting foam panels that rapidly spread the flames.
Human behavior in the face of fire
Survivors of both disasters describe a critical delay in their response. Phil Barr, who attended the Great White concert, initially thought the flames were "interesting" and assumed sprinklers would activate. "We've been conditioned to believe help is nearby," he said. "I remember thinking, 'We're all going to get wet.'" The Station nightclub had no sprinklers.
Gina Russo recalled that the fire alarm finally triggered a mass exodus. "People reacted as if they needed permission to leave," she said. Footage from the Swiss fire shows partygoers filming the flames or attempting to smother them with jackets-actions critics later condemned as reckless. Galea, however, dismisses generational blame. "This isn't about Gen Z. It's human nature. People underestimate fire's speed."
A 1968 study by psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley demonstrated this phenomenon. When smoke filled a room, 75% of solo participants raised the alarm. But when others in the room ignored the danger, only 10% acted. The findings suggest people look to others for cues, often delaying action in emergencies.
Why do these tragedies keep happening?
Galea's research identifies 38 similar fires since 2000, claiming 1,200 lives. Fifteen involved pyrotechnics, and 13 involved flammable acoustic foam or decorative materials. Despite these precedents, fire safety standards remain inconsistent across countries.
Unlike aviation, where crashes prompt global investigations and standardized fixes, fire safety lacks centralized oversight. After the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, a public inquiry revealed that the London Fire Brigade had failed to prepare for flammable cladding fires, despite prior incidents worldwide.
Swiss authorities disclosed that Le Constellation bar had not undergone safety inspections for five years. Hagger warns that without enforceable international codes, "a fire in one country won't prevent a nearly identical disaster elsewhere."
Survivors' enduring scars
Phil Barr, once a competitive swimmer, suffered life-threatening lung damage from smoke inhalation. "I had to fight to get my life back," he said. "I wasn't going to let these injuries define me." Today, he reflects on the fire as a turning point: "I realized I need to focus on what truly matters."
Gina Russo lost Fred in the Rhode Island fire. She later married a retired firefighter and channels her grief into advocacy. "Fred saved my life. I owe it to him to keep sharing our story."
As of January 2026, 80 survivors of the Swiss fire remain hospitalized, their recovery a long and painful journey. Their stories, like those of The Station's survivors, underscore the urgent need for stricter safety measures-and a global reckoning with fire's deadly speed.
What to do if you're caught in a fire
Galea's advice is simple: "Chance favors the prepared mind. Always identify exits. If you see smoke or flames, leave immediately. Don't wait for others to act."
