Fire that killed gay couple may have been caused by Christmas decorations
A hotel fire that killed a gay couple may have been caused by Christmas decorations.
Cameron House, a luxury hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond, outside Glasgow, caught fire last Monday.
It is not yet clear exactly how the blaze happened as officers continue to investigate.
Simon Midgley and Richard Dyson, who are believed to be from London, had been staying at the hotel and were named as victims.
An unnamed source told Scotland’s Sunday Post that in a call to emergency services at 6.40am last Monday, staff said the Christmas tree in the main reception had caught fire.
“The first call to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service came from the hotel reception to report the tree was alight, at 6.40am on Monday morning,” they said.
200 people were evacuated from the hotel as the fire ripped through the building.
The director of the hotel has commended the emergency services for their actions in stopping more lives from being lost.
According to social media posts paying tribute to Midgley and Dyson, they had been on a winter break in Scotland when they died in the fire.
Midgley had shared photos of the hotel on his Instagram and wrote “Home for the weekend”.
The sister of Midgley posted a photo of the couple on Facebook and another relative wrote: “I’m beyond heartbroken”.
Midgley was a freelance journalist at the London Evening Standard according to his Facebook page.
Dyson was believed to have been a TV producer.
Media reports from the hotel described the damage as “extensive”, said that burning wood smells were present and that fire alarms were still going off when journalist arrived.
Cameron House’s director, Andy Roger, said he commended the “very swift actions of the emergency services”.
He added: “Everyone associated with Cameron House Hotel is still coming to terms with the events of yesterday and we are all hugely conscious that two people tragically lost their lives in the fire.
“Their families and friends are foremost in our thoughts as we co-operate fully with the investigation teams to try to establish the circumstances surrounding this terrible incident.
“The emergency services were on the scene long into the night and I cannot praise their efforts highly enough. They are true heroes.
“The firemen bringing out a couple and their young child by ladder from a second-floor room was a heart-stopping moment for all those who witnessed it.”
