Minister accepts Cameron House hotel fire recommendations

Recommendations made in a Fatal Accident Inquiry following a fire at a luxury hotel in 2017 have been accepted by the Scottish government.

The blaze at Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond claimed the lives of Simon Midgley and Richard Dyson.

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) held last year made six recommendations to prevent similar incidents, two directed towards the Scottish government.

It agreed to consider changes to safety standards in new and existing hotels.

Cabinet minister Shona Robison, secretary for social Justice, housing and local government, sent the government's official response to Sheriff Thomas McCartney, who led the FAI.

Sheriff McCartney's recommendations for the government included considering introducing a requirement for sprinkler systems to be installed when historic buildings are converted to hotels.

He also suggested that experts should explore "special risks" in existing hotels and similar premises caused by hidden cavities, varying standards of workmanship, and the age of a property.

The fire at the resort near Balloch, West Dunbartonshire on 18 December 2017, broke out after night porter Christopher O'Malley left a plastic bag of ash in a concierge's cupboard at the reception area which contained newspapers and kindling.

More than 200 guests were evacuated from the property, but Mr Midley, 32, and Mr Dyson, 38, could not escape.

Mr Midgley's mother, Jane, led a campaign for an inquiry after the Crown Office initially said one would not be held.

The FAI heard that the couple tried to use a picture frame to break a laminated double-glazed window as the flames took hold,

Mr Dyson, a TV producer, was found on a landing at the top of a staircase. Mr Midgley, a freelance journalist, was discovered lying in a fire escape passageway.

They died from inhalation of smoke and fire gases.

Ms Robison said: "My sympathies remain with the families of Mr Midgley and Mr Dyson."

A short life working group had already been created to consider the "wider aspects" of the recommendation for converting historic buildings and "revising relevant guidance" for existing hotels, Ms Robison said.

It is being overseen by the Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group and chaired by the cabinet secretary.

In his inquiry findings, Sheriff McCartney said there were precautions which could realistically have avoided the fire breaking out at the five-star hotel.

The other recommendations in his report included the need for hotels to have up-to-date procedures in place to ensure that ash from open fires is removed and disposed of safely.

And he said there should be "robust arrangements" to ensure that everyone is accounted for in the event of evacuation, and that all staff have experience of evacuation drills.

Cameron House Resort (Loch Lomond) Ltd, which has renovated and reopened the hotel, was previously ordered to pay £500,000 after admitting to breaches of fire safety rules.

O'Malley, 35, who admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, was given a community payback order.