One person remains unaccounted for following a massive fire that destroyed a former downtown Victoria hotel, as investigators prepare to begin the painstaking process of removing debris from the heavily damaged building. Victoria Fire Department crews spent much of the weekend at the former Travellers Inn at 760 Queens Ave., where the fire broke out around 3:50 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. Victoria Fire Chief Dan Atkinson said crews declared the fire fully extinguished at about 1 a.m. Sunday, but the work at the site is far from over. Investigators prepare to search debris The Victoria Police Department and Victoria Fire Department are working with the Office of the Fire Commissioner to investigate the fire and determine its cause. In a news release Monday, VicPD confirmed that one person associated with the address remains unaccounted for and investigators will be on scene for several days. Atkinson said investigators would take a methodical approach to removing debris, given the possibility that the missing person could be found in the wreckage. “As we begin our investigative process, it will be a very systematic removal of debris. Obviously, with reports of an unaccounted person, associated with this property, we will be using the utmost care and control,” Atkinson said. He added that if anything is found, crews will respond with “nothing but dignity and respect.” Anyone with information who has not yet spoken with investigators is asked to call the E-Comm non-emergency line at 250-995-7654, ext. 1, and reference file No. 26-45101. Fire cause remains undetermined Investigators have not established where the fire started or what caused it. Atkinson said the extent of the structural damage makes determining the cause and origin challenging. “Every fire is undetermined at the onset, and we move forward with an abundance of caution to make sure that we capture all the material and information to get to an accurate cause and determination,” Atkinson said. Atkinson explained that the damage made it virtually impossible to deploy fire investigators inside the building while the fire was active. Crews instead adopted a defensive strategy and carried out a controlled demolition. “That’s far safer for fireground personnel, far safer for the public, and it’s certainly the quickest way to bring the fire under control quickly,” he said. Atkinson also said there was no reason to believe the blaze was connected to a vehicle fire reported outside the building last month. Previous fire inspection raised concerns about stored materials Atkinson said the fire department last inspected the property approximately two weeks before the blaze. The building’s critical life safety systems, including its fire alarm and detection systems, were deemed satisfactory at the time. However, the inspection also identified concerns about items being stored inside the former hotel. “The excessive accumulation of combustible products is always something that we want to flag for the landlord, if it’s a concern,” Atkinson said. He explained that the materials included furniture and other items that were no longer in use and were being stored in different areas of the building. The department was working with the property owner to address the issue, and a follow-up inspection had been scheduled. Investigators have not determined whether the stored materials played any role in the fire. Nine people displaced by fire Atkinson said the city’s Emergency Support Services team was assisting nine people displaced from the former hotel, working with regional and provincial partners to arrange accommodation for those affected. “We always want to make sure that anybody that’s been displaced by an incident has a place to go where they’re safe and well,” he said. Atkinson said the fire also prompted the disconnection of electrical power, natural gas and other services to protect nearby buildings and the public. Officials were working with utility providers to restore services to neighbouring residents. He said there were no ongoing air quality concerns in the surrounding area as of Sunday, after crews had extinguished the fire. Cleanup expected to continue The former hotel is privately owned. Atkinson said the property owner would be responsible for site remediation and disposal of damaged materials once investigators have completed their work. He said the city would work with the owner to ensure the site is cleaned up, with voluntary compliance the preferred approach before any further enforcement measures are considered. Atkinson expects crews to remain on-site as the investigation and clean up continues. “I suspect, given the scale and scope of this, I would suspect that you’re going to continue to see activity on this property, probably for a minimum of a week, potentially more,” he said.
