No FAI into fire deaths at Cameron House Hotel

There will be no fatal accident inquiry into the deaths of two men caused by a hotel fire.

The Crown Counsel came to the decision following an investigation that led to two convictions over the blaze at Cameron House Hotel.

Richard Dyson and Simon Midgley both died in the incident that took place in December 2017.

A multi-agency investigation carried out by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, West Dunbartonshire Council and Police Scotland was overseen by the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service.

These led to criminal prosecutions in which Cameron House Resort (Loch Lomond) Limited and Christopher O’Malley admitted responsibility for the fatal fire.

The hotel’s owner was fined £500,000 and Mr O’Malley, a night porter who admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, was given a community payback order.

As a result the Crown Counsel are satisfied that the reasons for the fire have been established and that the circumstances of the deaths were publicly identified during the prosecution process.

The SFRS will also now engage with the accommodation sector to highlight the investigation and the tragic outcomes from the incident.

This approach will be shared with UK Fire and Rescue Services to inform best practice.

Confirming the news on Monday the Crown Counsel said: “In light of these judicial findings and safety review, and the detailed understanding available to SFRS of the events around the fire, Crown Counsel concluded that the public interest would not be further served by an FAI as the purpose of such an inquiry has already been met.”

Alistair Duncan, head of the Health and Safety Investigation Unit of COPFS, said: “COPFS appreciates the impact the fire has had on the families and friends of Mr Dyson and Mr Midgley and many other people who were at the hotel that night.

“The nearest relatives of those who lost their lives have been provided with detailed reasons for the decision not to hold an FAI and our thoughts are with them at this time.”

TV producer Mr Midgley, from West Yorkshire, died at the scene of the fire, which began just after 6.30am. Mr Dyson, a 32-year-old freelance journalist from Nottingham, was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, where he was pronounced dead.

More than 200 guests were evacuated from the building which remains closed for refurbishment.