Inquest hears hotel fire 999 call

Fire alarms went off before the 999 call was made

A night porter was told to try and get people out of a blazing hotel in Cornwall during a 999 phone call, an inquest has heard.

Christopher Gunn, who had worked at the Penhallow Hotel for nine years, alerted emergency services to the fire which killed three people on 18 August 2007.

Mr Gunn told an inquest in Truro he made the call after alarms went off.

Joan Harper, 80, Peter Hughes, 43, and his mother Monica Hughes, 86, all from Staffordshire, died in the blaze.

Lifts disabled

A transcript of Mr Gunn's 999 call was read to the inquest into the deaths at Truro Crown Court by the coroner, Dr Emma Carlyon.

Mr Gunn told the jury that on the night of the fire he started work at 2200 BST.

He said he had called 999 because the fire alarms had sounded and lights went off in the bar.

In the transcript, the 999 operator asked if there were any signs of a fire. Mr Gunn replied: "I can see smoke. It's behind the bar."

The operator then asked Mr Gunn: "Can you get everyone out?"

He replied: "Yes. I've disabled the lift. I'll get everyone out."

Mr Gunn confirmed to the inquest that the transcript of the call to the operator was correct.

Christopher Gunn said in his 999 call that he saw smoke

Dr Carlyon told Mr Gunn that other witnesses in the bar area saw no signs of smoke and fire.

She asked if he could explain the difference in their recollections. He declined to answer the question.

She also asked that if the bar's shutters were down, which the inquest heard they were, how could he have seen smoke.

Mr Gunn also declined to answer that, but said that, to the best of his recollection, he had not been behind the bar that day, and that he knew of no reason of why anyone would start the fire.

More than 100 firefighters fought the Penhallow blaze, which started just after midnight.

About 90 people managed to escape from the 54-bedroom hotel.

A murder investigation was begun after the fire and four people were arrested. All were later released.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the case remained open and any new evidence would be investigated.

The inquest continues.