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422:, had apparently become obsessed with fire as a child when she became famous locally for saving her family from a night-time house fire. In 2016 she was convicted of setting fires in a number of buildings across Cornwall between 2002 and 2010, one of which in 2008 had killed an elderly patient in her care (she was also convicted of murder). Pedley specifically targeted buildings that were known to house the elderly like the Penhallow Hotel, and her motive for her arson attacks was that she was affected by
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altered more than once. The building had a wooden fire escape at the rear, and a central light shaft running from the ground floor up to the roof in the centre of the hotel. Both of these aspects of the building played a dramatic role in the outcome of the fire. Many of those that escaped the fire were elderly holiday makers.
426:, whereby she started the fires in order to act as the hero by subsequently saving people from it. The lead detective speaking after the Penhallow Hotel fire said they believed that the person who had started the fire had "created a dramatic event to be the centre of attention" in order to try to be a hero.
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fire had taken hold by the time of arrival of the first crew. It was found that the shortcoming of appliances did not result in the three deaths. However CFRS upgraded
Newquay fire station to 24-hour cover during the summer months when the population rises from an estimated 24,000 to at least 100,000.
271:
Some guests woke to the sound of the fire alarm sounding with no immediate signs of smoke or fire. Others reported that the fire alarm could not be heard on the third floor of the hotel, and being hampered in evacuation due to suitcases and obstacles being left in the hallways. Witnesses and guests
291:
At the inquest it was discovered that other factors were seen in the case against the owners of the hotel. Factors for the fire and the poor response were poor fire risk assessment, poor access, lack of water, lack of equipment (high rise ladder) and the FRS (Fire and Rescue
Service) being sent to
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Cornwall Fire and Rescue
Service (CFRS) was criticised on how the incident was handled. It was reported that only one fire appliance could be mobilised from Newquay due to a shortage of crew, one appliance was sent and backup was drawn in from surrounding stations, however as previously stated the
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On the night of 18 August 2007, shortly after midnight a power cut was reported followed shortly by the fire alarm activating and soon smoke was seen in the building. It is believed that the fire started in the hotel's drink bar store and then spread throughout the building. A 999 call was made to
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At the inquest into the deaths in 2009, the coroner, Dr. Emma
Carylon found there was insufficient evidence to determine that the victims were unlawfully killed, and recorded an open verdict. In 2010, Cornwall Council and Cornwall fire service brought a civil suit against the owners of Penhallow
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on 18 August 2007. Three people were killed and it was reported as the worst hotel fire in the United
Kingdom in nearly 40 years. The hotel was a well-known hotel for holiday makers ranging from families to older residents. It had been built in Island Crescent between 1912 and 1917, and had been
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also spoke of short comings by fire officials as the fire brigade arrived without a ladder long enough to reach the victims on the third floor. A guest spoke of how upon viewing the engine; "I could see no ladder on the fire engine. There was just an engine with a hose."
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stated they would treat the fire as a "major crime" until they found evidence to the contrary. In
January 2008, police announced that the fire was being treated as suspicious, and that the deaths were now therefore potential cases of murder.
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minutes later, when the first crews arrived on scene, it was reported that the building was well alight and further crews were requested. At the peak of the blaze 100 firefighters were fighting flames that were 30 feet (9.1 m) high.
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The cliffs above Towan Beach in 2011 following the fire, showing the
Penhallow Hotel in the centre of the image having been destroyed, and the beach in 2016, showing the new apartments built on the site of the
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In 2019, a former detective on the investigation into Karen Pedley, a serial arsonist who was active in
Cornwall between 2002 and 2010, suggested a link between her and the Penhallow fire. Pedley, from
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Hotel and individual staff members for health and safety violations. The owners, O & C Holdsworth Ltd, admitted to two of the charges and were fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £62,000 in costs.
209:
said there was insufficient evidence to rule the victims were unlawfully killed. A link has been suggested between the fire and Karen Pedley, a serial arsonist at large in
Cornwall at the time.
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53:, 28 July 2007. The Penhallow Hotel, the large bright white building, can be seen near the centre of the image, on top of the cliffs. This photo was taken only 21 days before the fire.
279:) died as a result of falling from a second floor window. Hughes' mother Monica (aged 86) also died in the blaze, along with 80-year-old Joan Harper, who was also from Staffordshire.
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522:: "The first member of the emergency services at the scene of the worst hotel fire in the UK for 40 years has described the early stages of the blaze as 'complete chaos'."
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Over 90 guests and members of staff managed to escape, but three people were killed in the fire. Guest Peter Hughes (a science teacher aged 43 from
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533:"The Penhallow Hotel fire: accident, arson or incompetence? – indepth-content | Fire safety news events and jobs – info4fire"
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The remainder of the building was demolished, and the land has since been redeveloped as modern apartments.
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The locations of Pedley's known arson attacks in
Cornwall (red), and the site of the Penhallow Hotel fire
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Police at the time concluded that the fire must have been started by an intentional act. However the
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824:"West Briton News, Stories & Cornwall Events Online - West Briton"
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728:"Three people died in a devastating hotel fire 10 years ago today"
899:"Contradicting evidence heard at ongoing Penhallow Hotel inquest"
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753:"10 Years after Penhallow: Have we learned anything? - PSSA"
784:"Care home worker Karen Pedley given 14 life sentences"
641:"Owners of fire death Penhallow Hotel to be prosecuted"
489:"Penhallow Hotel company admits fire safety breaches"
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1298:Attacks on buildings and structures in England
939:"Penhallow Hotel fire memorial stone unveiled"
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810:"Remains thought found after UK hotel fire"
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547:"Remains thought found after UK hotel fire"
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255:Fire Brigade's fire control at 00:17 and
1258:August 2007 events in the United Kingdom
1202:List of hotel fires in the United States
1303:Attacks on hotels in the United Kingdom
1263:Building and structure fires in England
1135:Childers Palace Backpackers Hostel fire
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1114:Pension de Vogel homeless hostel fire
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1268:Buildings and structures in Cornwall
1253:2007 disasters in the United Kingdom
1150:Kamień Pomorski homeless hostel fire
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919:"Fatal hotel fire team's new leads"
469:List of building or structure fires
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726:Greenwood, Andy (18 August 2017).
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619:"Demolition begins at blaze hotel"
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1228:2000s fires in the United Kingdom
1223:2007 crimes in the United Kingdom
1084:1980 Saskatoon Queen's Hotel fire
879:"Families appeal over hotel fire"
849:"Blaze hotel owners facing court"
672:"Worst UK hotel fire in 40 years"
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507:"Hotel fire was 'complete chaos'"
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16:2007 fire in Cornwall, England
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1145:Taj Mahal Palace Hotel attack
576:"Crimewatch UK February 2008"
509:. The Cornishman. 28 May 2009
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1248:Unsolved murders in England
1160:Resorts World Manila attack
1079:Hotel Corona de Aragón fire
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401:Penhallow Hotel fire, 2007
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263:were mobilised. Around 4
185:attack that occurred in
62:18 August 2007
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1175:2023 Makkah hotel fire
1165:2017 Batumi hotel fire
1155:2014 Medina hotel fire
812:. RTE. 21 August 2007.
607:. Season 3. Episode 1.
123:50.415138°N 5.081193°W
32:considered for merging
1109:Downunder Hostel fire
1074:1978 Holiday Inn fire
585:. BBC. February 2008.
1233:2007 fires in Europe
1044:Hotel Roosevelt fire
703:Lancashire Telegraph
409:class=notpageimage|
179:Penhallow Hotel fire
128:50.415138; -5.081193
38:Penhallow Hotel fire
1039:Winecoff Hotel fire
855:. 29 September 2010
647:. 29 September 2010
292:the wrong address.
119: /
39:
1089:Central Hotel fire
1059:Worsley Hotel fire
1019:Arcadia Hotel fire
1003:Windsor Hotel fire
925:. 21 February 2008
158:Non-fatal injuries
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1273:Crime in Cornwall
1238:2000s in Cornwall
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1196:Hotels portal
1170:Harbin hotel fire
1119:Switel Hotel fire
790:. 21 October 2016
759:. 16 October 2017
697:David Watkinson.
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1243:Arson in England
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621:. 18 August 2007
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989:Hotel fires
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909:24 December
889:21 December
828:West Briton
794:7 September
651:30 December
513:25 December
126: /
101:Coordinates
21:‹ The
1217:Categories
625:14 January
583:Crimewatch
475:References
420:Carharrack
257:appliances
142:Suspected
111:50°24′54″N
66:2007-08-18
434:In 2007,
201:returned
114:5°04′52″W
30:is being
943:BBC News
923:BBC News
883:BBC News
859:20 April
853:BBC News
833:30 April
788:BBC News
763:20 April
737:20 April
708:30 April
682:20 April
676:BBC News
645:BBC News
557:20 April
493:BBC News
447:See also
387:2006, 09
253:Cornwall
191:Cornwall
90:Cornwall
82:Location
34:. ›
23:template
1283:Newquay
261:Newquay
207:coroner
205:as the
199:inquest
187:Newquay
166:Inquest
86:Newquay
64: (
51:Newquay
551:RTE.ie
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150:Deaths
520:Quote
430:Legal
259:from
244:hotel
183:arson
144:arson
74:Venue
951:2011
931:2011
911:2011
891:2011
861:2018
835:2015
796:2021
765:2018
757:PSSA
739:2018
710:2015
684:2018
653:2020
627:2022
559:2018
515:2011
373:2010
359:2008
345:2007
331:2010
317:2002
216:Fire
177:The
139:Type
59:Date
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