No arrests have been made, a man remains missing and businesses are still in limbo nearly a month after the suspicious fire that razed the former Plaza Hotel in downtown Victoria.
Victoria police completed their on-site investigation on May 24 and have not yet said whether they collected any clues that point to the cause of the fire or the whereabouts of the live-in caretaker, Mike Draeger.
The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed they have not gone to the site to deal with any human remains.
Draeger was a maintenance man at the hotel, at Government Street and Pandora Avenue, and became its caretaker after it closed in 2013. He lived on the third floor and had a workshop in the basement.
His friends and family described him as a loner who didn’t use social media and would often go off the grid.
Victoria police released surveillance video images of Draeger, taken before the fire, in the hope that someone might recognize him. The photos showed a man with a long white beard and nearly shoulder-length hair. He was wearing a checkered shirt, jeans and black jacket.
Victoria police have not said whether the images sparked any tips. The department says the investigation is ongoing and an “appropriate amount of resources continues to be dedicated to investigating the origin of the fire.”
The fire started on the morning of May 6. Victoria Fire Chief Paul Bruce has said the speed at which the fire spread through the wood-frame structure and the fact the sprinkler system didn’t work were reasons for deeming it as suspicous.
The site has just been handed back to the property owner, Ocean Gate Developments Ltd., which is responsible for removing the debris and remediating the site.
The century-old building was purchased by the West Vancouver development company in 2016. In July 2017, the company submitted an application to the city to redevelop the site with a proposal to create 100 residential units and ground-floor commercial space within the existing building.
The company has not given any updates on plans for the site.
Sattva Spa, which shares a wall with the hotel, sustained so much water damage, it will likely be closed for a year, said owner Heidi Sherwood.
Significant engineering work must be done to ensure the structural integrity of the shared wall, Sherwood said. The ceiling, walls and floor are all waterlogged, after hundreds of thousands of gallons of water were poured in as Victoria firefighters battled the stubborn blaze over several days. “I think we’re all still in shock and dealing with the displacement. We’re taking it one day at a time to understand what we’re looking at.”
Sherwood is working with the company’s insurance provider, but she’s concerned the business will be on the hook for some costs. Some of the staff have been able to pick up work at the sister spa, Sapphire Day Spa, she said.
Sherwood is disappointed that the business hasn’t had more support from the City of Victoria’s business liaison or the Downtown Victoria Business Association.
“I wish they would have reached out to us and keep in close contact.”
Cherry Bomb Toys is set to reopen on Saturday after being smoked out of their Broad Street store. On Tuesday, owner B. Woodward was carrying in shelves and replacing merchandise that had to be thoroughly cleaned. Woodward still hasn’t properly assessed the damage to the National Toy Museum of Canada, located on the store’s mezzanine level. He’s especially concerned about an original Star Wars movie poster and rare board games.
The toy shop was able to survive, thanks to fundraisers held at the Victoria Events Centre, by the Government Street Tattoo Parlour and through a GoFundMe page.
While the business has coverage for business interruption and damage, it could be months or years before the money is paid out, Woodward said.
“We said: ‘We need to pay bills and our staff.’ They don’t just come running at you with a big bucket of money and say how much do you need?” he said. “If it hadn’t been for the community, we wouldn’t be able to survive.”
Woodward knew Draeger and said it’s “unsettling” that he still hasn’t been found after nearly a month.
“I hope he’s in a better place. Maybe he’s camping and he’s gone on a nice trip,” Woodward said. Like many others, Woodward is still waiting for answers on what caused the fire.
“Hopefully, [police] will release some information soon on what they found.”
