Two sisters and a “loving father” perished in an early-morning hotel fire in Perth on New Year’s Day.
Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and Sharon McLean, 47, both of Aberdeen, were verified by police to have perished in the New County Hotel fire.
Keith Russell, a 38-year-old native of Edinburgh, also perished in the horrific fire that broke out at 5 a.m. on January 2 of this year.
Mr. Russell’s family paid tribute to him by saying, “Keith was a devoted father who was adored by his entire family.” He will be missed dearly.
Each family has requested privacy.
Ms. Van Rensburg’s three-year-old King Charles spaniel, Joey, also passed away.
Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44 (right), and Sharon McLean, 47 (left), both of Aberdeen, were identified as the incident’s victims.
Keith Russell, 38, from Edinburgh also perished in the Perth fire, as verified by Police Scotland.
Joey, Donna’s dog, perished in the hotel fire to which more than sixty firefighters responded.
After the structure caught fire, emergency services rushed to the scene, with over 60 firefighters battling the flames and neighboring buildings being evacuated.
Despite their attempts, Donna, Sharon, and Keith tragically perished.
According to one witness, eleven others were treated for minor injuries, with several needing to be transported on stretchers.
Photos from the scene of the fire that killed three individuals are horrifying.
Chief Superintendent Phil Davison stated, ‘Our sympathies continue to be with the family and friends of the deceased, as well as the countless others affected by this catastrophe.
“A joint investigation with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is currently underway, and a report will be forwarded to the Procurator Fiscal.”
I would like to extend my gratitude once more to the emergency services and other agencies, as well as the local community, for their patience while investigations are conducted.
Jason Sharp, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service area commander for Perth, Kinross, Angus, and Dundee, made the following statement at the site in Perth: ‘This was an extremely complex event in which regrettably three persons were confirmed dead at the scene.
Our deepest condolences go out to the immediate family and friends during this difficult time.
»Siblings and their dad named as those who died in a New Year early morning hotel fire in Perth«