Boss admits firefighter shortage

Demolition contractors continue their work at the site of the hotel Enlarge Image

The head of Cornwall's fire service has admitted he did not have enough officers to crew a second pump to tackle a fatal fire in Newquay.

One man died and two people are missing after the fire at the Penhallow Hotel.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has claimed cuts to the service compromised efforts to tackle Saturday's blaze.

"Only one crew turned out from Newquay and the assumption I've made is we didn't have enough crew to mobilise the second pump," Matt Littmoden said.

But Mr Littmoden, chief fire officer, told BBC News claims of a 20-minute delay in the first pump arriving were incorrect.

This fire simply highlights the concerns firefighters have on the ground Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary Hotels' fire check concerns

"From the time the call was taken to the time they requested further assistance when they were obviously on scene was in the region of eight or nine minutes."

Police said a meticulous search for the missing hotel guests and for evidence to help establish the cause of the fire would not begin until Tuesday.

The general manager of the hotel, Andy Woollam, was called to the Penhallow Hotel in Newquay as soon as the fire started just after midnight on Saturday.

"The staff were absolutely brilliant getting everyone out as best they could," he said.

Mr Woollam lives close to the hotel with his wife Sarah, who is also a member of staff.

'Absolutely distraught'

The two also worked to help the guests escape and Mr Woollam said he could not believe what he was seeing.

"I can hardly remember anything," he said.

"I was just in a state of panic. The staff are absolutely distraught," he said. "It was extremely traumatic, I am absolutely gutted."

Meanwhile, firefighters are continuing the dampen down the smouldering remains of the four-storey hotel and a screen is being built around the site.

Firefighters have been campaigning against the downgrading of two fire stations in Cornwall.

Part replacement

FBU member Kevin Herniman said he was horrified by what had happened.

"This goes to prove that if you cut the level of service within the fire service people will die," he added.

An aerial platform, needed to fight fires in multi-storey buildings effectively, had to travel 50 miles from Plymouth to Newquay because the two platforms operated by Cornwall Fire Brigade were not operational.

Mr Littmoden said one platform was awaiting a replacement part to arrive from the US, while the second machine had a computer fault which was expected to be repaired on Monday.

He said while it was highly unusual for both platforms to be out of action at the same time, it was normal procedure to mobilise a unit from Devon.

HOTEL FIRE HELPLINE Holdsworth Hotels has set up a helpline for anyone concerned about a friend or relative on 01254 889 900 In pictures: Fire aftermath Family's shock after fire

"It would be quite unreasonable for me having difficulties with aerial cover provision to expect another fire brigade to bail me out," he said.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said the Newquay hotel fire reflected concerns raised by the union about cutbacks to fire service.

"In Cornwall very recently we've had to demonstrate and protest against further threats to fire cover and this simply fire highlights the concerns firefighters have on the ground," he said.

The Mayor of Newquay, Patrick Lambshead, has called for 24-hour fire cover from stations in the town during the summer months.

The population of the popular resort grows from about 20,000 to 100,000 over the three-month period.

Your photos: Hotel blaze Blaze causes disruption

Police believe the 43-year-old man who died in the fire fell from a second-floor window. He has not yet been named.

The four people who remain in the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro are said to be improving. One is in a critical but stable condition and three are in a stable condition.

Two other people reported missing after the fire presented themselves to police in Newquay on Sunday.

More than 80 people safely escaped from the building.

Specialist demolition crews have pulled down the precarious upper floors of the hotel, which were in danger of collapse.