Fire damages historic Tam Kung Temple in Victoria’s Chinatown

A fire at one of Victoria’s most significant heritage landmarks caused extensive damage Monday afternoon, prompting a large response from firefighters and an ongoing investigation into what sparked the blaze.

Victoria Fire Department crews were called to 1713 Government St. at around 2:45 p.m. after reports of smoke coming from the roof of the building.

“When crews arrived, they confirmed there was a fire on the third floor, where the temple is located,” said Colleen Mycroft, the manager of intergovernmental and media relations with the city of Victoria.

The building houses the Tam Kung Temple, recognized as Canada’s oldest Chinese temple and a National Historic Site of Canada.

Firefighters entered the building and launched an aggressive attack on the fire, including operations from the roof to gain access to the flames.

While crews were able to bring the blaze under control, the fire left behind extensive smoke and water damage throughout all three floors of the building.

No injuries were reported.

The building was evacuated during the incident. One tenant on the second floor was later allowed back inside to retrieve personal belongings.

Meanwhile, the owners of the ground-floor business, Smoking Lily, were able to remove merchandise from the store with assistance from firefighters before water damage spread to the first floor.

Crews remained at the scene Monday evening as fire investigators began examining the building to determine the cause of the fire.

“The investigation is in early stages,” Mycroft said. “The crew has just entered the building now to start the fire investigation and will remain on scene to monitor and make sure there are no hot spots.”

The Tam Kung Temple has been a cornerstone of Victoria’s Chinatown for more than a century and is considered one of the city’s most important cultural and historical landmarks.