Hotel’s Christmas tree decorations may have caused fire that killed gay couple
Hotel staff called emergency services claiming the Christmas tree was on fire
A Scottish hotel’s Christmas tree decorations may have caused the fire that killed a gay couple and injured six others.
Last week, London couple Simon Midgley, 32, and Richard Dyson, 38, perished in a tragic fire at Scotland’s Cameron House Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond just outside Glasgow.
Now, an unnamed source told Scotland’s Sunday Post that staff claimed the 12ft-high Christmas tree in the main reception was on fire in a call to emergency services at 6.40am on Monday (December 18).
They said: “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.”
Around 200 people were evacuated from the hotel during the fire and more than 70 firefighters were called in to tackle the blaze.
The flames are thought to have spread up through the hotel and by noon, floors were caving in as fire crews were ordered to evacuate the building for fear of their own lives.
One family recalled how they were awoken by fire alarms and managed to escape safely with help from hotel staff.
Matt and Hannah Munns were staying a the hotel with their five-year-old son and grabbed their possessions before heading towards reception where they were unable to escape through.
Matt said: “We managed to get to the reception but it was already in flames and we couldn’t get out that way.
“We could see the flames through the double doors. It was very frightening because there was a lot of smoke but one of the staff shouted on us to follow them to another way out and it was such a relief to be outside in the fresh air.”
Meanwhile, Simon Midgley and Richard Dyson were enjoying a winter break at the five-star hotel and had shared pictures from their stay on social media just hours before the deadly fire broke out.
Simon posted a picture of the hotel on Instagram on Sunday with the caption “Home for the weekend!” and later shared a picture of partner Richard enjoying the resort’s spa.