The deaths of three people from a fire that destroyed a hotel in Newquay last August are now being treated as murder.

After five months of investigation, Police and fire experts have confirmed that Peter Hughes, his mother Monica and Joan Harper from Staffordshire were killed in a deliberately started fire at the Penhallow Hotel.

Detective Chief Superintendent Chris Boarland of Devon and Cornwall Police told Reuters: “This force and the experts can come to no other conclusion than that this fire was started deliberately, and is therefore now officially classified as a murder investigation.” 

First victim of Newquay hotel fire named >>

Search for missing guests begin at Penhallow Hotel in Newquay >>

Fire destroys Newquay’s Penhallow hotel (Editor’s Blog) >>

Fire safety in hotels >>

By Jo Chapman

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