Scottish government looks to introduce law to honour victims of Cameron House hotel fire

Sprinklers could become a mandatory requirement for historic hotel conversions in Scotland following a fatal accident inquiry into the 2017 Cameron House hotel fire.

Simon Midgley, 32, and his partner, Richard Dyson, 38, from London, died in the blaze at Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond in December 2017.

The fire began after night porter Christopher O’Malley emptied ash and embers from an open fire into a plastic bag and placed it into a concierge cupboard containing kindling and newspapers.

The 2022 inquiry into the incident concluded that a “number of defects” in the working systems at the hotel contributed to the cause of the hotel fire.

Cameron House was previously fined £500,000 and O’Malley was given a community payback order over the fire. The hotel reopened after a refurbishment in 2021.

Housing secretary Màiri McAllan said the legislative changes would be known as ‘Simon and Richard’s Law’ to honour the victims of the fire if they come into force on 6 April 2026, following approval from the Scottish Parliament.

Secondary legislation has already been laid in the Parliament to fully implement recommendation four of the Cameron House Fatal Accident Inquiry.

The proposed changes include extending the scope of installing sprinklers to include traditional buildings converted to hotel use, as well as a ban on combustible external wall cladding systems that will be extended to include hotels, guest houses, hostels and boarding houses.

McAllan said: “The deaths of Simon Midgley and Richard Dyson in 2017 at Cameron House hotel were a truly awful tragedy. The minister for victims and community safety Siobhian Brown and I met with Jane Midgley [Simon Midgley’s mother] last week to discuss these changes. I want to pay tribute to the Dyson and Midgley families and the strength of Ms Midgley for her tireless campaigning over the last few years to improve the laws that govern fire safety in Scotland.  

“The fatal accident inquiry into their deaths made a number of recommendations, including for the Scottish government to introduce a requirement for sprinklers to be installed when historic buildings are converted to hotels. I am pleased to have introduced this change in law to the Scottish Parliament.

“Simon and Richard’s Law will ensure that any future conversions of historic buildings in Scotland into hotels will be required to have sprinklers installed. This is part of a package of work we are taking forward as a result of the Cameron House hotel fire to improve public safety in Scotland and reduce the risk of a tragedy like this happening again.”