BRITAIN:Guesthouse owners close to a seaside hotel that was destroyed by fire said yesterday that if firefighters had better resources there would have been fewer casualties.
The Penhallow Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall, was engulfed by fire just after midnight on Saturday night, and a man (43) died after jumping from the second or third floor to escape the flames.
Four people remain in hospital and one is in a critical condition.
Two people are still unaccounted for while three are in a stable condition and one elderly person, believed to be in their 70s or 80s, is critical but stable.
After the blaze, it emerged that the fire service's aerial platform had to travel 80km (50 miles) from Plymouth as the two in Cornwall were being repaired.
The Fire Brigades' Union (FBU) also said it was concerned about the levels of fire service cover for the resort, and said cuts in the service meant there were not enough firefighters to man a second pump.
B&B owners in the street behind the Penhallow said they would expect full-time cover during the busy holiday season.
Jan Howard, who owns the Pengilley guesthouse, said: "We were waiting and waiting for the platform to arrive. I think there would have definitely been fewer casualties if they had been here quicker."
She added: "The firefighters do a wonderful job, but they can't help it if there are cuts in resources. It is very worrying for people in this business."
One B&B owner, who asked not to be named, said they were surprised and worried they did not have full-time fire service support.
"You can do all you can to take precautions against a fire, but if there is one, you want the support to be there," she said.
"Time can make all the difference - extra minutes can cost lives."
Supt John Green said search teams hoped to start a detailed search of the site today, but it may be tomorrow morning before they could start work.
At its height, the fire was tackled by more than 100 firefighters, and witnesses described flames shooting nine metres (30ft) from the roof and said they felt intense heat 90m (300ft) away.