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 expressed the deep injuries her daughters sustained, stating, we must fight, keep on fighting every day. Her daughter Farah, 20, is still hospitalized with burns covering over 35% of her body.
Another mother, Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, who lost her 16-year-old son Arthur in the disaster, emphasized the importance of uncovering the truth: There must be no more lies. I want everyone to take responsibility; politics and parties don't matter to me.
The Morettis are under criminal investigation for involuntary manslaughter, bodily harm, and arson through negligence. They are not in custody; Mr. Moretti was released on bail last month.
Micheloud's lawyer noted the significance of her approach to the Morettis as a moment of humanity in a tragic sequence of events. They stated, There will be a time to say who is responsible for what. But there is also a time for humanity, to think of all the victims and the wounded, emphasizing the emotional gravity of the encounter.
The Morettis' lawyer characterized the hearings as moments of truth, reaffirming their commitment to confronting the consequences of their roles in the fire that struck the Le Constellation bar.
A shocking aspect revealed by survivors is the speed and spread of the fire facilitated by safety shortcomings, including a locked service door that hindered escape.
In the days following the tragedy, calls for transparency and accountability have reached a fervor as the community grapples with the lingering pain and loss, bringing forth voices of the bereaved and the wounded in a collective demand for justice.
