First Minister John Swinney has demanded answers two years on from a fatal fire at a Perth hotel.
Three people and a dog died when a blaze ripped through the New County Hotel on January 2 2023.
Police and the fire service have refused to comment on what caused the blaze.
The emergency services say a joint probe is still ongoing.
Concerns over wait for answers after New County Hotel fire
But there are concerns about the length of time the families of those affected are having to wait for answers.
Sisters Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and Sharon McLean, 47, from Aberdeen and 38-year-old Keith Russell, originally from Edinburgh, died in the fire, along with Donna’s dog Joey.
The blaze came just weeks after fire officials, independent consultants and Perth and Kinross Council had all raised safety fears about the hotel.
Mr Swinney, who visited the hotel in the immediate aftermath of the blaze, said: “It is vital that a full investigation is carried out in order to provide answers to the loved ones of those who tragically lost their lives in this incident, and hopefully offer some form of closure.
“It is also crucial that lessons are learned to ensure such a tragedy does not happen again.
“It is my hope that this investigation is proceeding as quickly as possible, and that it will continue to keep the families of the victims updated on their progress.
“At this difficult time, I once more extend my sympathies to all those impacted by this horrendous tragedy.”
‘Lack of information prolonging the agony’
Meantime, Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservatives MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, says the lack of information is only prolonging the agony of the families affected.
He said: “There seems to be an extraordinary length of time being taken to uncover the reasons behind this tragic incident.
“This can only be adding to the distress of the bereaved families.
“Two years is a long time to wait for answers.”
Meanwhile, Karen Kennedy – who was general manager of the New County Hotel at the time of the fire – has also expressed concerns.
She claims she repeatedly tried to flag safety issues at the hotel with owner Rashid Hussain, who has since died due to illness.
Karen believes the blaze may be linked to faulty electrical wiring.
She said: “I can’t believe that two years on from the fire we are still no closer to getting answers about what happened that awful night.
“Three people died in that hotel, it’s surely only right that their loved ones can get closure.
“For me, this tragedy has never gone away and I still live with it every day.
“It was a terrifying night for everyone in the hotel and the events are not something some people will ever recover from – myself included.
“If we could see some progress with the investigation I think that would help.”
Police and fire service probe ‘ongoing’
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “A joint inquiry with partner agencies is ongoing.”
However, when asked for more details about the investigation, police did not respond.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service also confirmed a probe was ongoing and would not comment as a result.
Freedom of Information requests asking for more details on the fire have also been rejected due to the ongoing investigation.
“The second anniversary of the fire at the New County Hotel is a sombre reminder of one of the darkest days in Perth’s recent history.”
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