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Stubborn flames refuse to die at downtown Victoria hotel gutted by fire

The Plaza Hotel was gutted by a fire that broke out Monday morning. City of Victoria

The fire that gutted an iconic hotel in the downtown Victoria area continued to burn on Tuesday evening.

The city had previously said that the fire, which broke out at the Plaza Hotel early Monday morning, had been extinguished.

But on Tuesday, the city said the fire had flared back up, and that it had brought in an additional excavator to help with fire suppression.

Firefighters have also faced challenges accessing parts of the structure.

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WATCH: Fire destroys iconic Victoria hotel

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Fire destroys iconic Victoria hotel

Government Street remained closed between Johnson and Pandora Streets, and the city said it will stay that way until further notice.

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City Hall, which has been closed since Monday, will also remain closed on Wednesday, the city said. Residents who need to do city business are asked to use Victoria’s website.

A scheduled city council meting was also moved to the Capital Regional District’s sixth-floor boardroom on May 9 due to the fire.

Mike Draeger, the hotel’s caretaker, also remains unaccounted for, and Victoria police want to hear from anyone who knows about his whereabouts.

Police and fire investigators continue to probe what led to the fire.

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