22/08/2007

Police Appeal For Eyewitnesses To Newquay Hotel Fire

Police have appealed for any eyewitnesses to the fire in the Penhallow Hotel in Newquay to come forward, as they might have vital evidence that could aid their investigation into the blaze.

An inquest into the death of a man who fell from a window of the burning Cornish hotel is due to commence in Truro. Two other people are missing, believed dead.

It is believed that the 43-year-old man, who has not yet been named, died after jumping from the second or third floor of the hotel when the fire broke out, just after midnight on Saturday.

Police and fire investigation teams searching the debris of the hotel have found human remains. Police are treating the fire as a major crime scene.

More than 80 people were safely evacuated from the building. Four people were taken to hospital following the fire. Three are in a stable condition, but one person's condition is described as stable but critical. Two elderly people, believed to be aged in their 70s and 80s, are missing and police believe that both of them died in the fire.

Scaffolding with screens has been erected around the shell of the hotel in order for specialist teams to search for the missing persons and clues to the cause of the fire. The search of the rubble is due to take several days.

Police have appealed for any witnesses who were in the hotel between 7pm on Friday August 19 and 1am on Saturday August 20 to make themselves known to police.

They have also requested that anyone with photographs or video recordings of the fire should contact the police incident room on 08452 777 444.

(SP)

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