News
Councillor calls for thorough investigation into ‘co-incidental’ hotel fire
A PEMBROKESHIRE county councillor has called on the police and fire investigators looking into a hotel fire to leave no stone unturned to find the true cause.
The major blaze broke out at the Cleddau Bridge Hotel in Pembroke Dock over the weekend, with emergency services in attendance from 2.49am on Saturday Morning (Mar 30).
Cllr Joshua Beynon, whose ward area includes the hotel, said that anyone reading the history of the hotel “could rightly ask themselves whether or not this is just one big coincidence.”
His comments come after over a hundred people took to Facebook to say that they thought that the fire was an ‘insurance job’.
There is absolutely no suggestion that there is anything to substantiate these allegations.
Mr David Hancock Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue group manager said: “It is too early to tell at the moment what the cause was.”
“A full investigation will be conducted with police and fire later on with a view to establish what happened”, he added.
The hotel suddenly closed on January 2 last year, with some 40 members of staff losing their jobs. Creditors including Pembrokeshire County Council and HM Revenue & Customs, were owed nearly £130,000 by the Kullar Hotel Group which owned the premises.

Tackling the blaze: Firefighters at The Cleddau Bridge Hotel (Pic: Herald)
Speaking to The Herald, Cllr Joshua Beynon said: “It is a sad moment when a once busy and looked after hotel is first abandoned and then burnt to the ground in the middle of the night. I am extremely interested in making sure that the fire is investigated and if it is found that arson is in fact the cause of the fire, that the perpetrator(s) are brought to justice.”
He added: “The building has a long and complicated history which started when the owners, the Kullar family gave staff a bear 6 days notice at the end of 2017 and did not pay them any redundancy pay or for their notice period, which they are of course legally entitled to.
“The building then was subject to a planning application during the summer of 2018 which was approved to turn the former hotel into a care home. As a residence of Llanion, I have witnessed and had numerous phone-calls about the mess in the grounds of the hotel as over the past few weeks, anything of value has been removed from the hotel as the rooms and building were cleared of assets.

Wants fire probe: Cllr Beynon
“This was clear from the debris in the grounds which was everything from furniture to pots and pans from the kitchen.
“Whilst it would be wrong for me to categorically conclude one way or another what started the fire, anyone reading the history of the hotel could rightly ask themselves whether or not this is just one big coincidence.
“The people of Pembroke Dock are now left with a half burnt building that serves as a sad reminder of its recent history.
“I will be following the investigation closely and I would urge anyone who saw anything in the early hours of the morning on Saturday 30th March to contact the Police.”
How the fire investigation will work
In common with many forensic disciplines, one of the early tasks of fire investigation is often to determine whether or not a crime has been committed. The difficulty of determining whether arson has occurred arises because fire often destroys the key evidence of its origin.
Many fires are caused by defective equipment, such as shorting of faulty electrical circuits. Car fires can be caused by faulty fuel lines, and spontaneous combustion is possible where organic wastes are stored.
A fire investigator looks at the fire remains, and obtains information to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the fire.
One of the challenging aspects of fire investigation is the multi-disciplinary basis of the investigator’s job. As fires can be caused by or involve many ignition sources and fuels, fire investigators need to know not only the science of fire behavior, but also to have a working understanding of many different areas of study including construction, electricity, human behavior, and mechanical devices. For example, if there is a gas appliance at the origin of the fire, an investigator should know enough about appliances to either include or exclude it as a possible cause of the fire.
FIRE SERVICE OFFICIAL STATEMENT –
On Saturday, 30/03/2019 at 02:49am, crews from Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven, Haverfordwest, Tenby, Swansea West, Ammanford and Narberth attended a fire at property in Essex Road, Pembroke Dock.
The building in question was empty and was formerly used as a hotel. The fire had affected the ground, first floor and roof space of the building and had damaged approximately half of the buildings structure.
Firefighters contained the fire, to the north and west elevations of the building, before extinguishing the fire using three hose reel jets, two main jets and a ground monitor. An aerial rescue platform and a drone were also deployed to the incident by the Fire Service.
The Fire Service left the incident at 09:53am.
This incident is being investigated by the Police and Fire Service.
Aerial pictures and video were taken by Lee Bowles and used with kind permission


Education
Sam Kurtz quizzed by primary school pupils about how was is governed
PUPILS at St Oswald’s VA Primary School welcomed a visit from local Senedd member Samuel Kurtz on Monday (Feb 2), as children put questions to him about how Wales is governed.
Years five and six pupils took part in an interactive session where the Senedd Cymru member explained the role of the Welsh Parliament, how laws are made, and how elected representatives support local residents.
He outlined what a Member of the Senedd does day-to-day, how decisions affecting communities are taken, and why taking part in democracy is important.
The pupils were then given the chance to quiz him directly, raising questions about politics, local issues and how young people can make their voices heard. Staff said the children showed strong interest and came well prepared.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Kurtz said: “It was a real pleasure to visit St Oswald’s and see such enthusiasm and curiosity from the pupils.
“Understanding how democracy works and how decisions are made is important, and it is encouraging to see young people taking an interest in how their community and country are run.
“I was particularly impressed by the quality of the questions, which showed they had clearly done their research.”
Teachers described the visit as a valuable opportunity to bring lessons about citizenship and Welsh democracy to life.
The school visit forms part of Mr Kurtz’s ongoing programme of meeting with schools, community groups and residents across Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire.
Crime
Police confirm teacher was stabbed at school as teenager appears in court
15-year-old charged with Section 18 GBH with intent and possession of a bladed article on education premises
POLICE have confirmed that the teacher injured during Thursday’s lockdown at Milford Haven Comprehensive School suffered stab wounds, as a 15-year-old boy appears in court today (Saturday, Feb 7).
Dyfed-Powys Police said the teenager has been charged with Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed article on education premises. He has been remanded in custody and is due before Swansea Magistrates’ Court this morning.
Emergency services were called to the school at around 3:20pm on Thursday (Feb 5) following reports that a member of staff had been assaulted by a pupil. The school was placed into immediate lockdown and police said all learners later returned home unharmed.
The injured teacher has since been discharged from hospital and is recovering with support.
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Briggs said: “We are continuing to support the victim whilst they recover from this traumatic event. Following detailed enquiries by specialist officers, injuries initially assessed and described as non-stab injuries have now been confirmed as stab wounds.
“A statement at an early stage of the investigation was based on preliminary information available at the time.
“There will continue to be a higher than usual police presence in the area over the coming days to provide further reassurance. Officers will be working closely with local secondary schools to offer support over the coming week.”
In a joint update issued by the local authority and the school, deputy headteacher Daryl John thanked staff and the small number of pupils who remained on site, saying they acted “with professionalism” and were “calm throughout”. He added that the school community was grateful for the “rapid and effective response” of the emergency services and sent best wishes to the injured colleague for a “full and speedy recovery”.
Pembrokeshire County Council leader Cllr Jon Harvey confirmed the school will reopen on Monday, with additional support available for pupils and staff affected by the incident. He said lockdown procedures are routinely rehearsed so that, in rare cases where they are needed, everyone knows what to do.
The school was closed to pupils on Friday, with the town noticeably quieter than usual as children stayed home.
Police enquiries are continuing and further updates are expected following the court hearing.
News
Local rugby talent Osian Williams selected for Wales Under-20 clash with England
A FORMER Haverfordwest Blues junior has earned international honours after being selected to represent Wales Under-20 rugby union team in their fixture against England.
Osian Williams, who began his rugby journey at Haverfordwest Rugby Football Club, will pull on the red jersey this evening in what marks a proud milestone for both the player and the Pembrokeshire club that helped develop his talent.
Club members said the call-up reflects years of hard work, commitment and steady progress through the ranks, with Williams recognised locally for his determination and performances on the pitch from a young age.
A spokesperson for Haverfordwest RFC said the whole club is “incredibly proud” to see one of their own step onto the international stage.
They added that it is always special to watch former junior players progress to represent their country, describing Williams’ selection as “fully deserved” and an inspiration to the next generation coming through the Blues’ youth setup.
The match against England provides a stern test for the young Welsh side, but for Williams and his family it is also a moment to savour after years of dedication to the sport.
Friends, coaches and former teammates are expected to be cheering him on from Pembrokeshire as he makes his mark in Welsh colours.
Photo caption:
Osian Williams has been selected to play for Wales Under-20s against England (Pic: Supplied).
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