A year has passed since one of the biggest tragedies to hit Perth in recent times.
Three people and a dog died when a fire ripped through the New County Hotel in the city on January 2 2023.
Twelve months on, many questions remain about the fire – including what caused it, and whether anyone is to blame.
Here is all we know so far about the New County Hotel fire.
What happened on the day of the New County Hotel fire?
A member of staff at the New County Hotel reported the blaze to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service at 5.02am on Monday January 2 2023.
Nine appliances were sent to the scene and, at its height, more than 60 firefighters tackled the blaze.
The Scottish Ambulance Service also sent multiple resources to the scene, including a trauma team.
A major incident was declared and streets around the hotel were closed off.
It was estimated more than 30 people were staying as guests at the hotel – which had 24 rooms and four suites.
One staff member told how he had been sleeping on the second floor when he raised the alarm, and a guest spoke of the moment he fled with his family.
It was confirmed later in the day that three people and a dog had died.
Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service launched a joint investigation into the cause.
What information emerged in the days after the fire?
Just a day after the fire, details started to emerge about conditions at the hotel in the months leading up to the blaze.
Online reviews painted a bleak picture, with reports from previous guests saying they had been worried about safety and the level of disrepair in rooms, hallways and other public spaces.
John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, said he was “concerned” by those reports on a visit to the scene.
But more serious details about safety at the New County Hotel were then uncovered by The Courier in the days after the blaze.
These included:
- A fire safety audit by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had revealed concerns about the hotel just three weeks before the fatal blaze – including issues with testing and maintenance, means of escape, fire doors, the fire warning and detection system, and measures for preventing the spread of fire and smoke
- Perth and Kinross Council had issued three health and safety improvement notices a fortnight before the fire – with issues flagged including the front doors not being locked at night, the safety of windows and damaged or unsafe carpets and flooring
- Independent health and safety consultants had highlighted 29 areas of concern at the hotel a month before it went on fire covering areas including electrical wiring, the safety of gas appliances, trip hazards, extraction systems and water testing
What do we know about the police investigation into the New County Hotel fire?
So far, police and the fire service have refused to speculate or comment on the cause of the blaze.
As of January 2 2024, they say a joint probe is still going on.
The fire service has so far refused to release a fire report into the blaze while the investigation continues
A total of 13 officers were also still dedicated to investigating the incident as of last month, “in partnership with staff from other agencies”.
Who are the key people involved in the fire?
Fire victims
Sisters Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and Sharon McLean, 47, from Aberdeen, and 38-year-old Keith Russell, originally from Edinburgh, died in the blaze, along with Donna’s dog Joey.
In a statement, Keith’s family said: “Keith was a loving father and loved by all his family.
“He will be greatly missed.”
The sisters’ family have never spoken about the tragedy.
Owner of the hotel
Rashid Hussain owned Perth Hospitality Limited, which ran the New County Hotel.
However, a separate firm owned the building – Edwin Hotels Limited – another business owned by Mr Hussain.
It had bought the site in 2015 for £368,000.
On the day of the blaze, Mr Hussain told The Courier: “I am completely devastated by what has happened.
“I haven’t yet spoken with police so don’t have much more detail at this stage.”
In August 2023, Mr Hussain’s firm entered liquidation with assets of just over £25,000 and debts of nearly £85,000.
A statement from the liquidators FRP Advisory said: “The liquidators are conducting statutory investigations as they explore the conduct of the business and events leading up to the insolvency.”
Then it emerged in September that Mr Hussain had died in hospital in London aged 59, due to natural causes.
Hotel manager
Karen Kennedy was working as the general manager of the New County Hotel when the blaze broke out.
She had been employed by the firm for nearly five years.
In the days after, she told The Courier how she would “live with this every day”.
She also claimed she had repeatedly flagged up fire safety concerns to the owner but said very little had been done to address these.
Karen has since said she fears no one will ever be held responsible for the blaze.
What happens next?
This question is impossible to answer as things stand.
With both Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service saying no more about the blaze for now, no one knows when – or even if – a cause of the fire will ever be confirmed.
There is the possibility there could be a fatal accident inquiry into the blaze, similar to the one held for the fire at Cameron House Hotel at Loch Lomond.
This would only seek to establish facts around the incident and would not be a criminal case.
However, that could still be several years away.
Conversation