Cameron House FAI: Sheriff recommends hotel and government action

A sheriff issued the detailed points amongst the 122-page determination after the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) held last year.

Richard Dyson and Simon Midgley lost their lives in the high-end hotel after a night porter put ash from a fire place in a plastic bag and then in a cupboard near kindling such as newspapers.

The blaze consumed the building on Loch Lomond and trapped guests as it swiftly took hold. But staff didn't evacuate with a guest list, leaving fire fighters initially unaware of Mr Dyson and his partner Mr Midgley being unaccounted for.

Sheriff Thomas McCartney called for hotel operators have up-to-date and robust proceedures to assess risks and ensure ash from open fires are removed and disposed of in a safe manner.

Owners should make sure proceedures are in place to "promptly" ensure all people are accounted for in the event of an evacuation.

Fire drills training

All staff, particularly those on duty at ight, should have experience with evacuation drills. The report said it may, "for example, involve night-time staff being asked to attend a daytime evacuation drill and/or mock drills taking place during 'night shift' hours".

The sheriff called for the Scottish Government to consider future conversions of historic buildings that will require fire suppression systems being installed.

He also recommended the government form an expert group to look at "the special risks" at existing hotels and similar premises which might have hidden cavities or voids, the standards of workmanship, age, variation in current standards and to consider revising guidance.

And he finally called for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to reduce the time between a fire safety audit inspection and publishing a written outcome report.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) had resisted an FAI on the deaths until Mr Midgley's mum appealed for them to act.

With the publication of the determination, Debbie Carroll, who leads on health and safety investigations at COPFS, said: “We welcome the sheriff’s determination.

“We acknowledge the deep and ongoing grief that the deaths of Simon Midgley and Richard Dyson have brought and understand that the wait for these proceedings to conclude has been extremely difficult and distressing for the families.

“From the outset the Crown‎ has been committed to ensuring the facts and circumstances surrounding these deaths were thoroughly investigated by the relevant agencies, fully considered by specialist prosecutors, and aired in court, and now at a Fatal Accident Inquiry,

“The sheriff’s determination made important recommendations in relation to fire suppression systems for historic buildings and the need for improved guidance to raise awareness on fire safety and risk assessment “The procurator fiscal service will continue to keep in contact with the families and answer any questions they may have about the determination.”

The full determination can be read on the Scottish Courts service website.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Interim Deputy Chief Officer Stuart Stevens said: “We have received the sheriff's determination following the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the fire at Cameron House Hotel on 18 December 2017.

“We accept the recommendations highlighted in the report and will continue to work with the Scottish Government and other key partners to implement and build on any measures to enhance community safety.

“This has clearly been a complex and detailed process and we hope that our submission to the inquiry has helped to provide some answers.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of Richard Dyson and Simon Midgley and all of those affected by this tragedy.”