Mother whose son died in hotel fire ‘very disappointed’ at no inquiry date
The mother of a man who died in a hotel fire which claimed two lives has said she is "very disappointed" it is still not known when a fatal accident inquiry into the tragedy will start following a legal hearing.
Simon Midgley, 32, and his partner Richard Dyson, 38, from London, died in the blaze at the five-star Cameron House Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond on December 18 2017.
Hotel operator Cameron House Resort (Loch Lomond) Ltd was fined £500,000 and night porter Christopher O'malley was given a community payback order over the fire at Dumbarton Sheriff Court in January 2021.
Jane Midgley, mother of Simon, was present at the first procedural hearing for the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) at Paisley Sheriff Court yesterday, when a further hearing was set for may but no date fixed for the inquiry itself.
Speaking after the hearing, she said: "I'm very disappointed today, half an hour and I've come away still unsure what's happening and when it's going to happen.
"I was hoping... we're going into the fifth year and I've no idea again, is it going to go on until the end of the year? It's all up in the air again. I'm very disappointed with what happened today, very disappointed."
She added: "I've been waiting five years and there are still unanswered questions and I need the answers to be able to move on.
"It's not just about hotels this. It's about any kind of public building and anybody to feel safe. Changes have to be made, and, until we have this over and done with, nothing is going to change."
Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard last January that the fire started after night porter Christopher O'malley emptied ash and embers from a fuel fire into a polythene bag and placed it in a cupboard which contained combustibles including kindling and newspapers. Cameron House Resort (Loch Lo mo nd) ltd, owner and operator of the hotel, admitted failing to take the fire safety measures necessary to ensure the safety of employees and guests between January 14 2016 and December 18 2017. The company admitted two charges of breaching the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
O'malley admitted breaching sections of health and safety laws which relate to the obligationon an employee to take reasonable care for the health and safety of people affected by their acts or omissions at work.