A fire at the V-Lounge Sports Bar in the Red Lion Inn caused extensive smoke and water damage on Thursday.
Construction crews were doing some welding near a stage when fire broke out about 1:30 p.m., said Saanich Fire Battalion Chief Randy Law.
Workers tried to douse the flames with a fire extinguisher and the sprinklers went off, but there was still heavy smoke visible when 18 firefighters arrived at the bar on the second floor of the hotel.
Everyone was able to get out of the building safely.
A fire inspector is working to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
Law was one of the firefighters who responded to a fire that razed the Red Lion Inn in November 2001.
He said he’s happy the damage in this incident, estimated at $150,000, is considerably less than in 2001.
