- A British man's widow is suing the operators of a luxury Moroccan hotel for over £500,000 following her husband's death in a spa fire.
- Anthony Barnes, 48, from Cambridgeshire, died in March 2023 at the five-star Jaal Ryad Resort Hotel in Marrakech while undergoing a massage when a blaze erupted, which an inquest later concluded was accidental due to thick smoke hindering rescue efforts.
- His widow, Rachel Barnes, alleges the fire was 'caused by the negligence' of Hotel Des Idrissides, claiming failures such as a lack of fire alarms, evacuation lighting, non-fire-resistant materials and inadequate emergency response.
- The hotel firm is contesting the High Court claim, denying any negligence or breach of duty, stating the building complied with Moroccan regulations, had a suitable alarm system, emergency lighting and multiple working fire extinguishers.
- The claim seeks damages exceeding £500,000, with the hotel's barrister arguing that the claim fails to demonstrate how the alleged omissions directly caused Mr Barnes' death, and a hearing date is yet to be scheduled.
IN FULL
