In brief
Leila Micheloud, mother of two injured daughters in the New Year's fire, met with the Moretti couple during a hearing. Highlighting the victims' humanity, this meeting reflects ongoing investigations into the disaster that claimed 41 lives. Lawyers emphasized the gravity of the moment, as the community seeks answers and accountability.
The mother of two young women who were badly injured in the New Year's Day fire in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana has had a private encounter with the couple who own the bar. Leila Micheloud had said earlier she wanted to 'speak privately' to Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who were attending a hearing on the fire that left 41 people dead and 115 injured.A lawyer for the victims' families, Sébastien Fanti, said it was 'an extremely intense moment and rare in its humanity', without going into what was said.During the hearing Jacques Moretti was questioned by lawyers for the families, and his wife was due to face further questions on Thursday.Micheloud told reporters outside the hearing in the Swiss town of Sion that her presence showed that the victims were 'not just names on a list but they too had faces'. She shared her daughters' struggles, with Farah, 20, still hospitalized with burns covering over 35% of her body. Another mother, Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, whose son Arthur, 16, perished in the disaster, emphasized the necessity for the truth about the fire to emerge.'There must be no more lies,' she stated. 'I want everyone to take responsibility; politics and parties don't matter to me.'The Morettis are under investigation for involuntary manslaughter and negligence. As the community grapples with the aftermath, questions surrounding safety measures at the bar are under scrutiny amid claims of safety oversights leading up to the event.
