Two sisters and man who died in Perth hotel fire identified by police
6 January 2023, 15:42 | Updated: 6 January 2023, 16:01
Two sisters and a man who died in a Perth hotel fire have been named and pictured by police.
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Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and Sharon McLean, 47, from Aberdeen and Keith Russell, 38, originally from Edinburgh, died at New County Hotel on Monday.
Donna’s dog, Joey, a three year-old King Charles spaniel, also died.
A family statement read: "Keith was a loving father and loved by all his family. He will be greatly missed."
Emergency services were called to the hotel just after 5am on Monday, with more than 60 firefighters involved in tackling the incident.
Guests were evacuated from and told to stay away from the area.
Eleven others were treated for minor injuries after the building went up in flames, with some being carried out on stretchers, one witness said.
Read more: Three die after fire breaks out at Perth hotel
The investigation into the fire is still ongoing.
Chief Superintendent Phil Davison said: “Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends of those who died as well as the many people affected by this incident.
“A joint investigation with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is ongoing and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
“I would like to again thank all the emergency services and partner agencies involved as well as the local community for their patience while enquiries are carried out.”
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service area commander for Perth, Kinross, Angus and Dundee, Jason Sharp, previously said at the scene: "This was a very complex incident where tragically three people were pronounced dead at the scene.
"Our thoughts are very much with the immediate family and friends at this difficult time."
