The fire started during a party in a property linked to the business tycoon Nicholas van Hoogstraten - convicted this week for the manslaughter of former business associate Mohammed Raja.

Families of the victims say many questions about the blaze in Palmera Avenue remain unanswered.

They point to a fire report which concluded it was started in more than one place and say a couple in the building had been warned something was going to happen.

Van Hoogstraten denies any connection with the property

Geoffrey Sharp, whose son Tim died in the fire, would like to see a new investigation.

"I'd like a fresh opening of the inquiry into the death because I'm sure a lot of the evidence wasn't produced at the time," he said.

"The only way out at the time of the fire was across the roof and poor old Tim didn't have a chance."

The third and fourth floors of the property were destroyed by fire and no fire escape meant certain death for those trapped inside.

One of the guests at the party, Trevor Carrington, later said he started the blaze as a prank.

Arson report

After the inquest he died after being run over by a lorry in an apparent suicide bid.

The coroner concluded that the fire had been started as a prank but the fire investigator at the time said he believed it was arson.

A few months before the fire the leaseholders had won a legal battle for the right to buy the freehold, overturning an earlier sale between two companies alleged to have strong links with van Hoogstraten.

Lawyers for Van Hoogstraten say he denies any connection with that particular building.

But a connection to the property was raised by a High Court action which was brought by his rival Mr Raja.

Life sentences

Mr Raja, 62, who had been trying to sue van Hoogstraten for fraud, was stabbed and shot at point-blank range at his home in Sutton, Surrey, two years ago.

An Old Bailey jury cleared the multi-millionaire of murdering Mr Raja, deciding he had hired two men to harm and intimidate the businessman but not to kill him.

Van Hoogstraten's co-defendants - David Croke and Robert Knapp - were sentenced to life after being convicted of Mr Raja's murder by the same jury.

Brighton and Hove Police say they will consider any new evidence brought by the families.