Three years after a devastating blaze at Perth’s New County Hotel claimed four lives, including three individuals and a beloved dog, leading political figures are intensifying their calls for transparency and updates from Police Scotland. The tragic incident, which occurred on January 2, 2023, resulted in the deaths of Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and her sister Sharon McLean, 47, both from Aberdeen, alongside 38-year-old Keith Russell, originally from Edinburgh, and Donna’s dog, Joey.
As the third anniversary approaches, a palpable sense of frustration has emerged within the local community and among the bereaved families. Despite ongoing assurances from law enforcement that the investigation is active, a significant lack of information regarding the fire’s cause and any potential accountability has persisted, leaving many questions unanswered. Political Pressure Mounts for Clarity
In a direct move to address this prolonged uncertainty, Scotland’s First Minister and Perthshire North MSP, John Swinney, has joined forces with Perth and Kinross-shire MP Pete Wishart. The pair have penned a joint letter to Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell, highlighting the mounting concerns.
Mr. Wishart conveyed his view that the extensive wait for conclusive information is “simply unacceptable.” Both politicians underscored the profound impact this protracted investigation is having on the victims’ families, who remain in a state of unresolved grief without the critical answers they desperately seek. The absence of official findings, they argue, has denied these families any sense of closure, exacerbating their sorrow as they navigate a third year without clarity. Community and Economic Repercussions
Beyond the deeply personal toll on the families, the ongoing situation has broader implications for Perth. The New County Hotel, once a prominent fixture in the city centre, now stands as a stark and unsightly reminder of the tragedy. This ‘eyesore’ structure, located in a busy part of Perth, is not only a visual blight but also a source of “wider community impacts.”
The joint letter explicitly pointed out that local residents and businesses in the vicinity of the hotel are experiencing considerable disruption, citing concerns over the impact on their properties, trade, and overall quality of life. The inability to conclude the police inquiry has effectively stalled any meaningful discussions about the future of the site, trapping the area in a prolonged state of limbo and preventing any tangible progress towards regeneration or redevelopment. This stagnation is a particular concern for local commerce and the aesthetic appeal of the city centre.
Both Mr. Swinney and Mr. Wishart impressed upon the Chief Constable the urgency of providing an update on the investigation’s current status and a clear indication of projected timescales for its conclusion. They emphasised that a swift resolution is paramount, not only to support the grieving families but also to enable the wider Perth community to move forward and begin envisioning a renewed future for the affected area. Police Acknowledge Ongoing Inquiry
In response to these growing concerns and the direct intervention from elected representatives, a spokesperson for Police Scotland affirmed: “Our inquiries are ongoing and we are working closely with our partners at Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The families are kept updated on the progress of our investigation.” This statement, however, reiterates the long-standing position without offering new details or timelines, which is precisely the point of contention raised by the politicians.
The complexity of the case is undeniable, particularly given revelations that emerged shortly after the fire. It was uncovered that various safety concerns had been raised regarding the hotel’s conditions in the months leading up to the disaster. These included a fire safety audit that identified issues just three weeks prior to the blaze, and three health and safety improvement notices issued by the local council. A Lengthy Timeline of Events
The investigation has seen several significant developments since that fateful January day in 2023. Shortly after the incident, the hotel’s owner, Rashid Hussain, expressed his devastation. However, just eight months later, the firm owning the hotel went into liquidation, and Mr. Hussain himself passed away shortly thereafter.
Throughout 2023, police confirmed that 13 officers were dedicated to the inquiry, having interviewed nearly 200 witnesses. By early 2025, the scope of the investigation extended to London, where a former worker of Mr. Hussain’s was questioned. In a notable turn, a security engineer, initially questioned as a potential murder suspect, was ultimately found not guilty of stealing cameras from the hotel site, shedding light on the intensity and breadth of the police probe. This extensive and detailed timeline underscores the intricate nature of the case, yet it does little to alleviate the community’s and families’ increasing impatience for a resolution.
The residents of Perth and Kinross, along with the families of those lost, await genuine progress and definitive answers, hoping that the unified voice of their political representatives will finally bring the long-awaited closure to this distressing chapter in Perth’s recent history.
As the third anniversary approaches, a palpable sense of frustration has emerged within the local community and among the bereaved families. Despite ongoing assurances from law enforcement that the investigation is active, a significant lack of information regarding the fire’s cause and any potential accountability has persisted, leaving many questions unanswered. Political Pressure Mounts for Clarity
In a direct move to address this prolonged uncertainty, Scotland’s First Minister and Perthshire North MSP, John Swinney, has joined forces with Perth and Kinross-shire MP Pete Wishart. The pair have penned a joint letter to Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell, highlighting the mounting concerns.
Mr. Wishart conveyed his view that the extensive wait for conclusive information is “simply unacceptable.” Both politicians underscored the profound impact this protracted investigation is having on the victims’ families, who remain in a state of unresolved grief without the critical answers they desperately seek. The absence of official findings, they argue, has denied these families any sense of closure, exacerbating their sorrow as they navigate a third year without clarity. Community and Economic Repercussions
Beyond the deeply personal toll on the families, the ongoing situation has broader implications for Perth. The New County Hotel, once a prominent fixture in the city centre, now stands as a stark and unsightly reminder of the tragedy. This ‘eyesore’ structure, located in a busy part of Perth, is not only a visual blight but also a source of “wider community impacts.”
The joint letter explicitly pointed out that local residents and businesses in the vicinity of the hotel are experiencing considerable disruption, citing concerns over the impact on their properties, trade, and overall quality of life. The inability to conclude the police inquiry has effectively stalled any meaningful discussions about the future of the site, trapping the area in a prolonged state of limbo and preventing any tangible progress towards regeneration or redevelopment. This stagnation is a particular concern for local commerce and the aesthetic appeal of the city centre.
Both Mr. Swinney and Mr. Wishart impressed upon the Chief Constable the urgency of providing an update on the investigation’s current status and a clear indication of projected timescales for its conclusion. They emphasised that a swift resolution is paramount, not only to support the grieving families but also to enable the wider Perth community to move forward and begin envisioning a renewed future for the affected area. Police Acknowledge Ongoing Inquiry
In response to these growing concerns and the direct intervention from elected representatives, a spokesperson for Police Scotland affirmed: “Our inquiries are ongoing and we are working closely with our partners at Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The families are kept updated on the progress of our investigation.” This statement, however, reiterates the long-standing position without offering new details or timelines, which is precisely the point of contention raised by the politicians.
The complexity of the case is undeniable, particularly given revelations that emerged shortly after the fire. It was uncovered that various safety concerns had been raised regarding the hotel’s conditions in the months leading up to the disaster. These included a fire safety audit that identified issues just three weeks prior to the blaze, and three health and safety improvement notices issued by the local council. A Lengthy Timeline of Events
The investigation has seen several significant developments since that fateful January day in 2023. Shortly after the incident, the hotel’s owner, Rashid Hussain, expressed his devastation. However, just eight months later, the firm owning the hotel went into liquidation, and Mr. Hussain himself passed away shortly thereafter.
Throughout 2023, police confirmed that 13 officers were dedicated to the inquiry, having interviewed nearly 200 witnesses. By early 2025, the scope of the investigation extended to London, where a former worker of Mr. Hussain’s was questioned. In a notable turn, a security engineer, initially questioned as a potential murder suspect, was ultimately found not guilty of stealing cameras from the hotel site, shedding light on the intensity and breadth of the police probe. This extensive and detailed timeline underscores the intricate nature of the case, yet it does little to alleviate the community’s and families’ increasing impatience for a resolution.
The residents of Perth and Kinross, along with the families of those lost, await genuine progress and definitive answers, hoping that the unified voice of their political representatives will finally bring the long-awaited closure to this distressing chapter in Perth’s recent history.