Tahirys Dos Santos, a 19-year-old youth team player for French football club FC Metz, and his girlfriend Coline made their first public appearance since the deadly fire at the Le Constellation nightclub in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. The couple, who both suffered severe burns, presented an award at the UNFP Awards in Paris, showing off their scars . the fire, which killd at least 41 people and injured 115, was reportedly started by a sparkler waved by a waitress.

The Heroic Act That Saved a Life

Dos Santos, who has burns covering 30% of his body, ran back into the blaze to save his girlfriend Coline. According to a report by Paris Match, Dos Santos recounted how he and Coline went downstairs to the basement where the fire started. He called her out of the toilet, and they ran up the stairs together. Dos Santos ended up sitting in the bar upstairs with severe burns before being airlifted to a hospital.

The Deadly Nightclub Fire

The fire at the Le Constellation nightclub started when a waitress waved a sparkler in a champagne bottle while sitting on a colleague's shoulders, igniting the ceiling and setting the wood-panelled basement alight. The blaze spread in seconds, forcing a stampede as more than 100 partygoers, mostly teens and young adults, fought to get up a single, narrow staircase that was the only way out. Swiss president Guy Parmelin called it 'one of the worst tragedies our country has experienced.'

The Couple's Public Appearance

Dos Santos and Coline made their first public appearance since the incident at the UNFP Awards in Paris. Wearing matching black outfits, the couple showed off their scars,including burns on their hands and down their arms. The audience applauded as they made their entrance to the stage, with the couple presenting France's female Player of the Year award to Melchie Dumoray.

Investigation and Witness Accounts

Police commander Frederic Gisler confirmed the fire 'started in the basement' and there was a crush as people tried to flee up the single staircase. While authorities refused to speculate on the exact cause, witnesses and video footage suggest it was started by the sparkler, with investigations opened . Survivors said a table of customers made a large drinks order, prompting a waitress to get on her colleague's shoulders and wave the sparkler for them. One survivor told local journalists that the candle 'was very close to the ceiling' which caught fire 'in a matter of seconds.'

The Road to Recovery

Dos Santos was transferred to a specialized burns center in Stuttgart,Germany, according to his agent Christophe Hutteau. Hutteau stated that Dos Santos was in terrible pain and had burns covering 30% of his body. however, there was a positive development as his lungs, which were also affected, had improved considerably. Dos Santos returned to action for Metz in April and recently signed his first professional contract with the club.