Quick thinking action by hero father saved ten lives in Swiss fire after call from daughter

January 5, 2026 by Nadia

Paolo Campolo saved ten lives in Swiss fire

Paolo Campolo had no time to think. He recalled rushing into the street with a fire extinguisher. By the time he arrived at the bar, the flames began to decrease in size. However, “thick black smoke” covered the area.

“The combustion was very rapid, violent, and lasted only a few minutes. Then it stopped. But there was no more oxygen inside. And that’s what caused the carnage. I immediately realized the fire extinguisher wasn’t needed. I tried not to lose my temper. Help hadn’t arrived yet. I looked for an alternative way out,” Paolo said.

The father realized that there still could be people trapped inside. He, together with another hero, found a back entry to the bar. However, it was locked, and several teenagers were trapped inside.

“I don’t know if it was the emergency or service exit. It opened outward, but it was blocked or locked on the inside. But behind it, through the glass, I could see feet and hands. Bodies on the ground,” Campolo described the horrific scene, explaining how the two broke a window to pull those inside out to safety.