2560 replies to this topic

[Sparky]

^ It would appear so. Owned by Sierra Holdings. They run a tight ship. Nice building.

[Nparker]

CHEK News has coverage.

...Saanich Fire says a multi-unit fire that broke out early Friday morning is contained. The blaze started after 4 a.m. at a three-storey complex in the 2600-block of Richmond Road. A witness told CHEK multiple suites were burning...

https://www.cheknews...saanich-571094/

 

[Mike K.]

Four-storey.

[sebberry]

CFAX reporting 1 death in this fire.

[Nparker]

Two deaths in local apartment fires in less than 3 months. There's going to be call to upgrade the fire security/suppression in older multi-unit buildings.

[aastra]

Hot off the presses:

 

 

Daily Colonist
January 29, 1977

Firemen uneasy with legalization of 4-deck frames

Four-storey frame buildings are once again legal in B.C.

...amendments in the B.C. Building Code had been made to make the four-storey buildings "conforming".

Until July, 1976, all municipalities had regarded four-storey residences as meeting code requirements, but a ruling by the B.C. Building Code Appeal Board on July 12 declared the municipal interpretation incorrect. That decision made all existing four-storey buildings of frame construction non-conforming.

It also meant that if such a building were destroyed by fire it could not be replaced as a four-storey frame building.

Victoria Fire Chief... voiced his disapproval of the move...

...he and his fire safety officers were not happy with the extension to four storeys because it really meant a frame building could now be five storeys -- with a basement.

"...three-storey frame construction was reasonable."

Oak Bay's Fire Chief... added that he leaned toward Class A, or concrete, construction.

[sebberry]

Two deaths in local apartment fires in less than 3 months. There's going to be call to upgrade the fire security/suppression in older multi-unit buildings.

 

We are (slowly) working through the process of upgrading ours.  Older people can't hear the hallway bells from their bedrooms.  

 

We have made progress with engineered drawings, but my last motion to the council to engage a few local contractors for proposals was put on hold - apparently our new depreciation report guy says we don't need to upgrade, and the less technically minded on council seem to be thrown off by this.  

 

Just can't win.

[Sparky]

[Mike K.]

Photos of Mike Draeger on our FB page.

🚔Arson Confirmed In Victoria Plaza Hotel Fire Investigation🚔

Victoria, BC –VicPD’s Major Crime Unit continues its investigation into the devastating fire at 603 Pandora Avenue, the site of the old Plaza Hotel, that occurred on May 6 th , 2019.
Investigators can now confirm the fire was an arson.

From the early stages of the investigation, VicPD officers have been working with the Victoria Fire Department to determine the cause of the fire. These types of investigations are lengthy and appropriate resources continue to be dedicated to the investigation. To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, no further details can be released at this time.

Mike Draeger, the building caretaker, was not located in the search through the debris and he remains unaccounted for.

Photos of Mike Draeger, including a newly acquired photo of him without a beard.

Anyone with information about the fire, or Mike Draeger’s whereabouts, are asked to call our non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654 or Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

[lanforod]

Oh wow. 

[Nparker]

This story just took an interesting turn.

[todd]

A lot of arseon at the monty’s showroom over the years.

[Nparker]

A lot of arseon at the monty’s showroom over the years.

You mean arse-on, right?

[todd]

This is going to be a tough one to solve basically everyone who went there was an arseonist.

[sdwright.vic]

Victoria PD have confirmed arson.

[sebberry]

I wonder how you differentiate between accelerants used to start a fire, vs flammable liquids being stored on-site post-fire?

[DustMagnet]

I wonder how you differentiate between accelerants used to start a fire, vs flammable liquids being stored on-site post-fire?

 

Perhaps burn patterns, e.g. if the accelerant was splashed over an area vs. if a container of flammable liquid burst from one spot?

[Jason-L]

Based on the movie BACKDRAFT, its definitely by burn patterns and the way the fire spread.

[Mike K.]

Sooke, Otter Point and Metchosin fire crews are battling a fire along the 2300-block of Church Road in Sooke. 2.5-storey residence.

[Sparky]

Forest fire in the Durrance Lake area.

 

Fire trucks headed in through the rifle range. Helicopters in the sky.

 

Standby.