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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Hotel blaze 'worst in 40 years' | Hotel blaze 'worst in 40 years' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A seafront hotel fire which killed three people was the UK's worst for 40 years, fire chiefs told an inquest. | 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 in 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 hotel staff 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 travelled to Cornwall to attend the inquest, which is expected to take nearly four weeks. | |
| About 100 witnesses are due to give evidence to the inquest. | |
| 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." |
| Twin sister | Twin sister |
| 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. | 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. | 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 | The 54-room hotel was completely destroyed in the blaze |
| Cornwall Coroner Dr 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. | 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". | 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." | 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. | 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. | 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 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". | He said he scored the hotel as "low risk" to firefighters, and it was later upgraded to "medium risk". |