Lawyer for Italian State present as Morettis questioned over Crans-Montana fire

A lawyer representing the Italian

State, which is standing as a civil plaintiff in the case

regarding the New Year's Eve bar fire in the Swiss ski resort of

Crans-Montana that killed 41 people, including six Italian

teens, was present on Friday for questioning of the bar's

owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, before Valais Deputy

Attorney General Catherine Seppey in Sion.

"Today I am officially representing Italy here," said Romain

Jordan, who was among 70 lawyers representing civil plaintiffs.

Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, the mother of Arthur, a promising

16-year-old footballer who died in the fire at the Constellation

bar, was also present.

"I'm here because I want answers, we want answers," she said.

"I lost my son Arthur in this tragedy, and that's why I am

dressed in white and have his photo on my heart, on the left.

"There are 41 angels who are gone, there are still 115 injured

who are in hospital, in intensive care and who are seriously

burned, some still in septic shock and you can no longer

recognize them.

"Today I'm here for him but also for his brother Benjamin, my

second son, who is alive, because he is living with the

consequences of this tragedy.

"We live with these consequences every day—his parents,

brothers, sisters, grandparents, and aunts.

"He needs answers, I need answers, we need answers.

"We're here today because five months have passed, we've learned

a lot, and I need to understand Jessica and Jacques Moretti's

state of mind."

At the opening of the questioning at the Polytechnic University

of Sion, Jessica Moretti complained that "so many falsehoods

have been said about us.

"We have been destroyed," she said, promising cooperation with

investigators and stressing that she has always answered the

questions put to her.

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