847 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

looks like the urinal is closed.

[Rob Randall]

^Yeah, it was disassembled as it was in the way of the equipment.

[GaryOak]

Im just happy they were able to save the trees

[Cassidy]

Sadly, the tree at the Northwest corner of the lot (up against what was the stone exterior wall) is scorched pretty badly on one side. I doubt it will make it in the long term.

[GaryOak]

Time will tell

[GaryOak]

Facade gone

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[LJ]

Of course it's a public service, but I wonder if there's a point where the FD starts billing. In this instance, Victoria FD will be accruing hundreds of hours of OT. 

 

A quick Google search reveals that some FDs do in fact bill out. 

Why would the fire department be paying OT? The guys get paid to sit in the hall or fight a fire. When their shift is over they are relieved at scene by the next shift and they go home. Surrounding muni's will be providing mutual benefit support as needed.

[Victoria Watcher]

Bruce said the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, and questions remain about why the blaze in the basement accelerated so quickly and why fire-alarm bells and a sprinkler system that were tested as operable on April 26 did not appear to work.
The fire’s intensity and rapid spread “points to some type of accelerant” as a possible cause, but nothing has been determined, Bruce said. “That fire was either burning undetected a long time or there was rapid fire spread.”
Either scenario raises questions.





https://www.timescol...ants-1.23815424

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 May 2019 - 02:01 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

some think the caretaker might have died.

https://www.timescol...otel-1.23816540

[laconic]

Smoke is drifting and settling across Johnson Street this morning.

 

There isn't much wind now, but as the sun rises the wind should pick up a bit.

[sdwright.vic]

This morning.

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[Rob Randall]

Look closely at the wall and see the old advertising sign for "Cheapside Hardware" that's been newly revealed.

 

[Sparky]

This from post #492

 

[Nparker]

Look closely at the wall and see the old advertising sign for "Cheapside Hardware" that's been newly revealed....

There are some who might argue that the hotel site should be restored to the vacant lot it was before 1911.

[spanky123]

Look closely at the wall and see the old advertising sign for "Cheapside Hardware" that's been newly revealed.

 

 

Wow, looks like the roads were in much better condition back then!

[jonny]

Why would the fire department be paying OT? The guys get paid to sit in the hall or fight a fire. When their shift is over they are relieved at scene by the next shift and they go home. Surrounding muni's will be providing mutual benefit support as needed.

 

C'mon, of course they had firefighters working OT. This wasn't the only call they had Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and it was close to all hands on deck at the hotel.  

 

Anyway:

The rumour is the building failed a fire inspection. 

The caretaker was a smoker who spent a lot of time in his workshop in the basement. 

The basement was loaded with mattresses and god knows what other easily combustible fuel. 

Caretaker has been missing since Monday. 

The basement was a raging inferno that the firefighters couldn't enter. 

They swept the third floor, the floor where the caretaker's suite was, with men, ladders and a drone but did not locate anybody. 

 

Not sounding good for the caretaker. This may be a simple case of a careless smoker lighting a couch or something on fire accidentally. Remember those UVic students who died when their unattended hookah burnt their house down?   

[spanky123]

C'mon, of course they had firefighters working OT. This wasn't the only call they had Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and it was close to all hands on deck at the hotel.  

 

Anyway:

The rumour is the building failed a fire inspection. 

The caretaker was a smoker who spent a lot of time in his workshop in the basement. 

The basement was loaded with mattresses and god knows what other easily combustible fuel. 

Caretaker has been missing since Monday. 

The basement was a raging inferno that the firefighters couldn't enter. 

They swept the third floor, the floor where the caretaker's suite was, with men, ladders and a drone but did not locate anybody. 

 

Not sounding good for the caretaker. This may be a simple case of a careless smoker lighting a couch or something on fire accidentally. Remember those UVic students who died when their unattended hookah burnt their house down?   

 

Or if the caretaker did accidentally start the fire then he is making himself disappear. Wouldn't be too hard I would imagine.

[aastra]

Call me a heretic but I'd like to see Victoria revisit ornate balconies in the old town, as per the left edge of that pic. This site is now a clean slate. Great opportunity.

 

[Redd42]

Or if the caretaker did accidentally start the fire then he is making himself disappear. Wouldn't be too hard I would imagine.

 

News reports said the caretaker had a car and an airstream trailer. Apparently the trailer was towed away from the back of the building on Monday. 

 

What about the car?

[jonny]

Call me a heretic but I'd like to see Victoria revisit ornate balconies in the old town, as per the left edge of that pic. This site is now a clean slate. Great opportunity.

 

New Orleans style?