Summerland inquest verdict challenge dismissed
NOEL HOWARTHAn appeal against the rejection of a bid for fresh inquests into the deaths of 50 people killed in the Summerland fire disaster on the Isle of Man has been dismissed.
Fifty people died after a huge fire broke out at the entertainment complex on Douglas Promenade on the evening of 2 August 1973.
The Justice for Summerland group, which consists of survivors and relatives of those who died, had challenged the Attorney General's decision to reject a request for fresh hearings.
The island's First Deemster, Andrew Corlett, said he was satisfied that the decision by the Attorney General (AG) to decline to order a fresh inquest was "a reasonable one, and that it does not contain any error of law".
"I am satisfied that the the AG took into account relevant factors and was not influenced by irrelevant factors," the judgement said.
"His refusal letter was balanced and did not accord undue weight to the many issues which he correctly took into account."
The fire started when three boys set fire to a kiosk outside, with the flames quickly spreading through the building with about 3,000 people - mainly holidaymakers - inside.
A public inquiry held in the aftermath of the disaster found there were "no villains", only human beings who made mistakes.
The subsequent inquest, held in 1974, recorded a verdict of misadventure – something the Justice for Summerland group is campaigning to have overturned.
An application for fresh inquests put forward by Belfast-based human rights law firm, Phoenix Law, on behalf of the group in 2024 was rejected by the island's Attorney General last year.
A challenge against that decision was brought on behalf of the group in the name of founder member Jackie Hallam, who was left with severe burns from the fire which killed her mother, Lorna, and best friend, Jane.
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