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Hotel blaze 'worst' in 40 years Hotel blaze 'worst in 40 years'
(30 minutes later)
A seafront hotel fire which killed three people was the UK's worst for almost 40 years, an inquest has heard. A seafront hotel fire which killed three people was the UK's worst for 40 years, fire chiefs told an inquest.
Joan Harper, 80, Peter Hughes, 43, and his mother Monica Hughes, 86 all died after the blaze at Penhallow Hotel in Newquay in August 2007. Joan Harper, 80, Peter Hughes, 43, and his mother Monica Hughes, 86, all died in the blaze at Penhallow Hotel in Newquay in August 2007.
A murder investigation was launched after the fire and four people were arrested. All were later released.A murder investigation was launched after the fire and four people were arrested. All were later released.
The inquest at Launceston Magistrates' Court heard no prosecutions were pending, but the case remained open.The inquest at Launceston Magistrates' Court heard no prosecutions were pending, but the case remained open.
The families of the three victims have travelled to Cornwall to attend the inquest. The families of the three victims travelled to Cornwall to attend the inquest, which is expected to take about four weeks.
Mark Boeck, area manager for Cornwall Fire Service, told the inquest: "This fire has been recognised as the worst in the UK for nearly 40 years.Mark Boeck, area manager for Cornwall Fire Service, told the inquest: "This fire has been recognised as the worst in the UK for nearly 40 years.
"It ultimately resulted in the deaths of Monica Hughes, Peter Hughes and Joan Harper.""It ultimately resulted in the deaths of Monica Hughes, Peter Hughes and Joan Harper."
Mr Hughes, a teacher from Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire, jumped from the third floor after trying to save his mother. Twin sister
Cornwall Coroner Emma Carlyon described the opening of the inquest as a "scene setting" day to give the jury a clear idea of events. Mr Hughes, a teacher from Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire, jumped from the third floor of the 54-bedroom hotel after trying in vain to save his mother.
Ms Harper, of Stoke-on-Trent, was also trapped, while her twin sister, Marjorie Brys, was one of more than 90 people who escaped.
The 54-room hotel was completely destroyed in the blaze
Cornwall Coroner Emma Carlyon described the opening of the inquest as "scene setting" to give the jury a clear idea of events.
The jury was also shown a three-dimensional model of the hotel before it was destroyed by the fire, which police believe was started deliberately using a naked flame.The jury was also shown a three-dimensional model of the hotel before it was destroyed by the fire, which police believe was started deliberately using a naked flame.
The inquest was told a new main electrical system was installed in the hotel in 2003, but it did not include the lift which operated on a separate circuit.
Maintenance worker William Roberts said the electrical wiring in the hotel's lift was "very old" and a system more commonly used "in the 1960s".
In a statement read to the court, Mr Roberts said: "I was surprised that those old cables were still there and in use."
A risk assessment was carried out at the hotel about a month before it was destroyed by the fire, the inquest heard.
Firefighter Grant Paterson said the assessment on 18 July was in relation to firefighters, should they be called to a blaze at the hotel and not a check of the hotel's fire safety systems.
He told the court he saw nothing that concerned him other than a void between the flat roof and the building.
He said he scored the hotel as "low risk" to firefighters, and it was later upgraded to "medium risk".