Punished for heroic act: young Belgian saves brother from Crans-Montana inferno and may therefore lose recognition as a victim

On New Year’s Eve, a young Belgian escaped the flames in the Swiss bar Le Constellation, but didn’t think twice when he realized that his brother had been left behind. He ran back, saved his brother and suffered serious burns. An undeniable act of heroism. Yet the Swiss court now refuses to recognize him as a direct victim, arguing that he entered the burning building “voluntarily”.

ttn-3