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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Lauren Gilmour & Amy Duffy

Cameron House fire deaths inquiry begins today after couple killed in Loch Lomond resort blaze

A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the deaths of two men following the fire at Cameron House gets underway this week.

Glasgow Live previously reported that the luxury hotel in Alexandria, on the banks of Loch Lomond, went up on flames in December 2017. The blaze ripped through the resort after a night porter put fireplace ash in a plastic bag and into a cupboard.

Simon Midgley, 32, and his partner Richard Dyson, 38, from London were unable to escape as the inferno took hold in the reception area, sending 214 guests fleeing the smoke and flames. Travel journalist Simon and Richard, a TV producer, were tragically found dead in fire escape areas of the building.

Cameron House was fined £500,000 in the wake of the tragedy. The inquiry, held at Paisley Sheriff Court, will look at issues around guest and fire safety at the hotel, it begins on Monday.

READ MORE: Cameron House set to reopen after being destroyed by fatal fire in 2017

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The purpose of the inquiry, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service say, is not to "apportion blame" but to determine the cause of death and establish what lessons can be learned to minimise the risk of future deaths in similar circumstances. Unlike a criminal trial, an FAI is a fact-finding exercise and the Sheriff hears all the evidence presented in court and listens to the witnesses before delivering their determination.

In their determination, the Sheriff can make recommendations for systems to be put in place, improvements that can be made, and precautions which can be taken to prevent a similar incident from happening.

A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: "COPFS understand that the wait for proceedings must have been extremely difficult and stressful for those affected. We will continue to keep the families of those involved fully informed and answer any questions they may have about the process during the FAI."

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