π₯ UNBELIEVABLE LOSS: ‘Helmet Girl’ Cyane Panine Hyped NYE with Sparklers β Family-Like Waitress Gone in the Inferno’s Chaos
She was everywhere in the viral footage: helmet on, sparklers roaring, bringing joy to the packed basement crowd β Cyane was like a daughter to the owners, spent holidays with them. Then the spark hit… fire spread fast, locked door sealed the fate, suffocation in the pile amid screams. π Those fun moments turned nightmare β unimaginable pain.
The mystery detail about her position in the pile and the failed rescue attempts outside… you won’t believe it…
read more π #CyanePanine #CransMontana
The devastating New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on January 1, 2026, continues to unfold as one of the country’s most tragic modern disasters, claiming 40 lives β including many young people β and injuring 116 others, often with severe burns requiring specialized care across Europe.
At the heart of the viral footage from that fateful night stands Cyane Panine, the 24-year-old French-Swiss waitress who became known as the “Helmet Girl.” Originally from SΓ¨te in southeastern France, Cyane had been a beloved fixture at the bar for years. The owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, treated her like family β describing her as a “stepdaughter” or “little sister.” She had spent Christmas with them just days earlier, sharing holiday moments that underscored the close, personal bonds she formed with the team. In a relationship with one of the bar’s cooks, Cyane was remembered by her partner as “lumineuse” (luminous) and “exceptionnelle” (exceptional), a vibrant personality who brought energy and warmth to everyone around her.
Here are haunting images from the moments leading up to the tragedy, capturing Cyane in action during the bar’s signature sparkler routine:
yahoo.com
Waitress ‘who accidentally started Swiss bar fire’ was killed in blaze
This photo shows the young woman β identified as Cyane Panine β perched on a colleague’s shoulders, helmet on for playful protection, holding champagne bottles topped with roaring sparklers to hype the packed basement crowd.

telegraph.co.uk
Waitress ‘who accidentally started Swiss bar fire’ was killed in blaze
Another frame from the viral footage depicts the sparks flying close to the ceiling, moments before the ignition that would change everything.
Jessica Moretti had encouraged staff like Cyane to “get the atmosphere going,” a routine that involved servers parading with sparkler-adorned bottles, sometimes lifted aloft. Tragically, one of these sparklers β held high in the crowded space β came too close to the basement’s soundproofing foam ceiling, igniting it rapidly and triggering a deadly flashover. The fire spread in seconds, filling the venue with thick black smoke and chaos. Investigators have confirmed this as the leading cause, with no prior issues flagged in the material’s use, though questions about overall compliance persist.
Cyane, who was simply doing her job to bring joy to the revelers, became one of the 40 victims. Her final moments were heartbreaking. According to statements from Jacques Moretti to investigators, he arrived and forced open a ground-floor service door that had been locked from the inside (possibly by panic or latch during the evacuation). Behind it, he found a pile of unconscious bodies, including Cyane’s. She had suffocated amid the crowd, trapped near the exit in the crush of people trying to escape the inferno.
The failed rescue attempts added layers of unimaginable pain. Moretti and Cyane’s boyfriend desperately tried to resuscitate her outside on the snow-covered street for more than an hour, performing CPR amid the sub-zero temperatures and chaos. Paramedics eventually intervened, but it was too late. This detail has shocked many, highlighting the desperate heroism amid the horror.
Here are additional visuals illustrating the aftermath and the scale of the disaster:
apnews.com
In their words: Survivors and others talk about fatal Swiss Alpine …
This image captures the charred remains of Le Constellation the day after, with investigators on site and the building sealed off.

en.wikipedia.org
2026 Crans-Montana bar fire – Wikipedia
Smoke still lingers in the air as emergency services work through the night, a stark contrast to the festive scenes hours earlier.

telegraph.co.uk
Waitress ‘who accidentally started Swiss bar fire’ was killed in blaze
A portrait-style image of Cyane, the vibrant young woman whose smile lit up the bar, now remembered in grief.
The owners have expressed profound devastation, cooperating fully with authorities while facing charges related to negligence, including homicide by negligence. The locked door has become a focal point of scrutiny, with reports indicating the majority of victims were found piled at the base of a narrow staircase or near obstructed exits. The bar had not been inspected for fire safety since 2019, raising broader questions about regulations in Switzerland’s tourism-heavy venues.
Cyane’s family, particularly her mother Astrid, has spoken out, emphasizing the injustice and calling for change so “no other mother” endures such loss. A memorial in SΓ¨te drew over a thousand people, and her body was repatriated with support from local authorities. Tributes describe her as “adorable” and full of life, a seasonal worker who had become part of Crans-Montana’s community.
This tragedy has united Switzerland in mourning, with silent marches, national tributes, and renewed demands for stricter indoor pyrotechnic rules and venue safety protocols. Cyane Panine β the girl who only wanted to “liven up the atmosphere” β embodies the cruel irony: a night of celebration turned into irreversible heartbreak for families, friends, and a nation.
As the investigation continues, her story β and those of the other 39 victims β serves as a poignant reminder of how quickly joy can turn to loss, urging meaningful reforms to honor their memory.