Fatal fire hotel closed 'until further notice'

Emergency services are investigating the blaze at the Cameron House Hotel

Cameron House Hotel will be closed "until further notice" following a fire which claimed the lives of two guests.

Simon Midgley, 32, and Richard Dyson, 38, died after the blaze at the luxury hotel on Loch Lomond on Monday morning.

The hotel announced that it will remain closed while investigations into the blaze and the damage caused continue.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged that any lessons which emerge from the probe will be learned.

The fire which killed broke out in the early hours of Monday.

More than 200 guests were rushed from the building, with a family of two adults and a child rescued by ladder, and Mr Midgley and Mr Dyson were killed.

The couple, both of Somerfield Road in north London, had been staying at the five-star hotel on a winter break.

A statement posted on the hotel's website said that "due to the events" of Monday, the hotel and leisure club will remain closed until further notice.

It added: "We would kindly ask all guests and customers to remain patient as we work with the emergency services to establish the extent of the damage and ascertain when we will be able to reopen."

Richard Dyson and Simon Midgley died after the blaze broke out at the Cameron House Hotel on Monday

Local MSP Jackie Baillie, who met the hotel's manager on Wednesday, was moved to tears as she asked Ms Sturgeon about the fire in the Holyrood chamber.

She said: "I'm sure she'll join with me in sending condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and to praise our emergency services - the firefighters, police officers and paramedics who attended, as well as the staff who played a critical role in evacuating the building.

"The investigation is yet to start because the building needs to be made safe, but can I ask the first minister when the investigation is complete, will she ensure that lessons are learned, whether in practice or if there is a need to enhance building standards regulations."

Ms Sturgeon replied that the matter of the fire was "in all our minds this week".

She said: "The tragic fire at Cameron House Hotel on the morning of 18 December sadly claimed the lives of two young men, and I want to convey my deepest condolences to the families of the two young men who died and send my thoughts to all of hose who were affected by this tragedy.

"This horrific event demonstrates once again how our firefighters so willingly put themselves in the line of danger to assist others on a daily basis, and I know the whole chamber will want to send our grateful thanks to our firefighters and to all of our emergency services who responded.

"There will be a thorough investigation into what happened at Cameron House, and it is important that investigation is allowed to run its course. But I can give an assurance today that the Scottish government, with our partners and indeed with the owners of Cameron House Hotel, will make sure that any lessons which emerge from that investigation are learned and fully applied.

"For now, all of us in this chamber will want to send our thoughts and our condolences to all of those affected by this tragedy."

A spokesman for the hotel had previously stressed that it "complies fully with all relevant fire safety regulations", with a fully up-to-date fire safety certificate.