Tough questions expected at CTV inquest

Published: 5:43AM Monday June 13, 2011 Source: ONE News

• 

  The CTV building in Christchurch is flattened after the February 22 earthquake. - Source: ONE News

• Watch Video

• Related

CTV's only remaining reporter will have one of her toughest assignments this week.

Emily Cooper will cover the inquest into the deaths of 106 people who died when the CTV building collapsed in the February 22 earthquake.

She was out on a story when the earthquake hit and is one of just a few of the television station's staff who survived the quake.

The inquest will hear evidence into the deaths of her colleagues and friends - and although she says it will be hard to cover it, she also wouldn't not be there.

Cooper says many people want information on the structural integrity of the building.

Tough questions are expected to be asked about that, with so many deaths having occurred in the CTV building during the February 22 earthquake.

Family members will be able to ask questions, and foreign media and international diplomats are expected at the hearing.

Of those who died, 65 were foreign students.

ONE News reporter Ruth Wynn Williams told Breakfast that the deaths of the 12 people from the clinic within the building will be investigated today.

She said the examining of the deaths of those in the Kings Language School and CTV will follow.

"Of course a number of tough questions are set to be asked by families," she said.

She said families will be able to question details about their loved ones and how they died.

However, the judge is likely to reserve most answers until the Royal Commission of Inquiry later in the year.

"The judge is likely to stress that today's inquest is just a matter of course, and it may seem dry to the families and some of the details may seem quite clinical but it is more about recording the details of the deaths as the first part of the inquiry which will continue later this year with the Royal Commission," she said.

The three day inquest starts at Riccarton Racecourse this morning.

- with Newstalk ZB

Latest NZ News Video