Families lodge application for fresh inquest into Summerland fire

Lawyers confirm they're seeking to re-open case

An application for a new inquest into the Summerland fire disaster has been lodged by human rights lawyers.

Phoenix Law acts for the Justice for Summerland Campaign group.

Families affected by the tragedy, which killed 50 people on 2 August 1973 in Douglas, are now seeking to reopen the case. 

Darragh Mackin, Partner at Phoenix Law, said: “For years these families have raised concerns about the original investigation and inquest into the Summerland fire.

“Today’s application not only supports these concerns but, indeed, underscores them.

“It is difficult to envisage a more compelling set of circumstances to which point firmly in favour of a fresh investigation.

“It has now been uncovered that the same scientist who led the Summerland fire analysis was the individual at the centre of some of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history including the Birmingham 6 and Judith Ward.

“This revelation coupled with the evolution in forensic techniques make a clear and indisputable need for a fresh investigation.”

The request for a new inquest follows calls for a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Phoenix Law says the grounds of the application include but are not limited to:

• The insufficiency of inquiry and/or irregularity of proceedings in the original inquest
• Related inquiries were inconclusive and did not remedy deficiencies in the original inquests
• ‘Substantial’ fresh evidence which was not heard at the original inquest
• Original forensic analysis being unreliable
• Evolution of science
• ‘Manifest and widespread public disquiet’ which requires investigation

The law firm adds it would be ‘undesirable’ to allow an incident of such magnitude to remain without further investigation into the circumstances ‘in which the entirety of the original forensic analysis has now been called into question’.