A preliminary investigation into the fire that razed a Gastown heritage building last week has revealed unattended candles are to blame.
Vancouver firefighters’ initial investigation has found the fire was “accidental,” and originated on a second-floor unit where the candles were left burning.
“The fire was first detected by supervisory staff conducting a fire watch. They attempted to extinguish the fire but were unsuccessful in their efforts,” said Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services in a Thursday statement.
According to the fire department, the April 11 blaze was the second in four days at 203 Abbott St. There was another fire on April 8 in a different unit, but it was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler systems.
At the time, fire crews issued a notice of violation to have the fire safety systems serviced, and put the building under a fire watch until that work was complete.
Work to demolish the four-storey Winters Hotel, whose roof collapsed in the second fire, was set to begin Thursday morning but was delayed after crews learned people had gone back inside. Those individuals have since evacuated.
A man was arrested after he was seen climbing up the fire escape and entering the hotel earlier on Thursday, police said, adding there’s been an issue with former residents trying to access their items after having to flee when the flames broke out.
Former resident Brandy Mingo told Global News Thursday morning the man who was arrested was trying to rescue her pet turtle and collect her husband’s ashes for her.
“I have a turtle that’s 25 years old,” she said. “I’ve had him for 25 years. He’s in a tank in there, he’s been in there since the fire.
“He’s fine, he’s alive and my friends have been trying to get him out for me, as well as my husband’s ashes.”
Mingo said two of her friends have been in the building since Wednesday night and if it was really structurally unsafe, they would not have been able to get in in the first place.
Power outages in the area are expected while the demolition work is underway.
Seventy-one people lost their homes in the fire tore, many losing everything they owned.
Several businesses, along with a women’s shelter and a single-room-occupancy (SRO) hotel had been operating in the building.
The city said Water Street will be closed to vehicle traffic between Carrall and Abbott streets for at least five weeks.
– with files from Global News’ Simon Little and Elizabeth McSheffrey
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