A row has erupted about the investigation into last year’s Penhallow Hotel fire in Newquay. Speaking to the Newquay Voice newspaper, fire safety consultant and campaigner, Alan Cox, criticised the course of the investigation and drew attention to some discrepancies in reports published in the media.
“All I’ve got is what is in the media and a lot of things don’t match up,” said Mr Cox. “They have said that someone applied a naked flame. Not ‘we think’ someone might have. The only way you could know that is if you had an eyewitness or camera footage.
“They’re being very definite, he added. “I’ve investigated a lot of fires and I’ve never come across that.”
But Cornwall’s chief fire officer Matt Littmoden defended the conduct of the investigation and dismissed claims of unprofessionalism as “ludicrous”. He said: “Regarding the potential for accidental fire, other possible causes were of course considered as part of the investigation. This has been a lengthy criminal investigation, a great amount of evidence has been collated and this evidence is not in the public domain.”
In August, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that the criminal investigation into the alleged arson attack had insufficient evidence to proceed. Investigations into the cause and consequences of the fire continue.
