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Road outside New County Hotel in Perth re-opens weeks after fatal blaze

County Place in Perth re-opens on Friday for the first time since the fire almost two months ago.

New Country Hotel in Perth
The road is re-opening on Friday. Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson

The road outside a Perth hotel where three people died in a fire is re-opening nearly two months after the tragedy.

Council officials say County Place will reopen in full on Friday (today) for the first time.

Inspectors from the local authority will also ensure the footway is safe before it is reopened to pedestrians.

A lane closure has been in place since the incident on January 2, when a devastating blaze claimed the lives of three guests staying at the hotel.

Sisters Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and Sharon McLean, 47, from Aberdeen and 38-year-old Keith Russell, originally from Edinburgh, died in the blaze, along with Donna’s dog Joey.

Floral tributes after fire at new county hotel in perth
Floral tributes outside the hotel. Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson

Following the blaze, The Courier revealed how a safety audit at the premises weeks before the fire revealed a litany of concerns.

The hotel’s manager, Karen Kennedy, also shared how she had tried to take action over safety worries.

She said: “It’s too late for those who died but for a long time I was trying to take action.

“I was constantly flagging up my worries to Rashid Hussain, who owned the hotel as part of his Perth hospitality company.

A police investigation is ongoing. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson.

“My worries centred in particular around fire safety and security in the hotel.

“I said we needed a plumber and electrician urgently. I keep thinking what could I have done differently.”

An investigation into the cause of the fire continues.

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