Stephen Smith was overcome by smoke during a ferocious blaze at the Manor Hotel on Blackpool Promenade on September 17, 2007.

Owner Nicholas Danby, 61, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and given a six month curfew order at Preston Crown Court after he admitted a string of fire regulation breaches - including failure to keep fire alarms maintained.

The court was told how none of the alarm klaxons sounded as Mr Smith died in his room.

Outside court Mrs Smith's sister Carol Smith, told The Gazette: "I'm sick to the stomach after what's happened in there - we've had no justice."

Her brother Brian added: "He (Danby) has gotten away with it, but we just hope people learn lessons over this.

"Whenever we stay anywhere now we always check there are alarms and detectors, but hoteliers should know if they aren't safe then this can happen."

Firefighters were called to the scene by Mr Smith, 38.

He was struggling to breath as he spoke to a telephone operator. The electrical engineer, who was holidaying in Blackpool while recovering from an illness, died later at hospital.

Judge Stuart Baker told Danby: "It will never be known what the consequences would have been for Mr Smith if you had not failed to comply with your duties. It may have been the case that Mr Smith would still be alive today.

"It's my view the risk of Mr Smith being overcome by smoke would have been reduced if you had maintained the fire system in good repair, if you had provided adequate fire safety training and kept the exits free from smoke."

Danby, of Spruce Way, Paignton, Devon, pleaded guilty to four offences of failing to comply with fire safety regulations.

He admitted failure to compile a fire risk assessment, failing to provide fire safety training to employees, no barriers were put in place to stop smoke spreading into escape routes and not maintaining the alarm system.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Peter O'Brien, from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It was a very serious and difficult incident.
"We had to evacuate 60 people from surrounding buildings and rescue six people from the affected building.

"The fact there was a fire means something has gone wrong.

"In this respect the problem resulted in someone losing their life and we shouldn't lose sight of that.

"I would like to send my sympathies to Mr Smith's family and friends because this was unquestionably an avoidable tragedy."

A family of five was saved after officers risked their lives to go into the burning building - despite having no information on the building layout or design.

Officers came out of the building with equipment on fire or melting such was the ferocity of the blaze.

Mr O'Brien added Danby would now have to live with the consequences of his neglect.

He added: "That's not a responsibility anyone would want to take upon themselves."

More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze which broke out at just before 3.30am.