A call has been made for new rules that would have closed down Perth’s New County Hotel before last January’s fatal fire.
It has come from the boss of safety charity Scottish Hazards, which supports victims of incidents such as fires.
Ian Tasker, CEO of the charity, wants to see action taken as soon as premises receive adverse safety reports – as happened with the hotel only weeks before the fire in January 2023 that claimed the lives of three people and a dog.
He says more stringent rules in late 2022 could have prevented the deaths.
The January 2 blaze claimed the lives of sisters Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and Sharon McLean, 47, from Aberdeen, and 38-year-old Keith Russell, originally from Edinburgh.
Answers are still being sought for the cause of the fire, which also claimed the life of Donna’s dog Joey.
‘Why was New County Hotel allowed to stay open?’
Mr Tasker says his charity wants to prevent such incidents happening again.
Mr Tasker said: “Why was this hotel allowed to stay open? Hopefully, the ongoing investigation will provide an answer.
“It received several very serious health and safety warnings in the weeks leading up to the fire.
“There should be more stringent regulations in place that are acted on that would immediately close premises where reports of this nature have been received.
“It is particularly important in the case of properties where people sleep overnight.
“I am aware the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing but I feel rules are needed that would mean premises would be forced to close down until the issues in health and safety reports that flag serious concerns are actually addressed and fixed.”
Concerns raised weeks before fatal Perth fire
Independent consultants, the fire service and Perth and Kinross Council had all raised health and safety concerns in the weeks before the tragedy.
The Courier obtained a fire safety audit ordered three weeks before the fire which called for 21 improvements to be carried out.
Scottish Hazards has played a leading role in representing the families of the victims of the Cameron House Hotel fire on the banks of Loch Lomond in 2017.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Fire safety is a priority for the Scottish Government, and ministers’ sympathies remain with those who lost their lives in the New County Hotel fire.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further during a live police investigation.”
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “Our thoughts continue to be with relatives of those who lost loved ones in the tragedy last year, and everyone else affected by the fire.
“However, it would be inappropriate to comment further while a live police investigation is ongoing.”
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