Tuesday, January 6
On New Year’s Eve, a fire killed 40 people at the bar Le Constellation in Switzerland. Investigations state that the accident was caused by a spark-spraying party fountain that caught fire to the foam on the ceiling. 119 people were seriously injured, including a young man who has been transferred to the Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin for treatment.
The 18-year-old patient is from French-speaking Switzerland, but the Severe Burn Injury Centre at the Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin in Biesdorf is one of the largest and most modern centres in Europe for patients with burn injuries. Other victims are also being cared for in clinics throughout Germany.
The 18-year-old has suffered severe burns to his face and hands, and he remains in serious condition. “Overall, the situation is, of course, still critical,” said Leila Harhaus-Wähner, director of the Clinic for Hand, Replantation and Microsurgery.
She expects the patient to be in intensive care for about two weeks after surgery. After that, he will stay in a recovery ward of the clinic for four to six weeks before returning home again.
However, the transplanted skin areas will remain damaged for a lifetime and could also cause future problems. “He will always be marked by it,” she said.
