Fire investigators were on scene Thursday morning (Nov. 10), scouring the scene of a major overnight fire at the Parksville Heritage Centre, taking photos and gathering data to find out what caused the blaze that destroyed several businesses.
It took the Parksville Fire Department, along with assistance from Qualicum Beach, Errington, Nanoose, Coombs-Hilliers and Dashwood departments, the entire night to completely douse the flames. On Thursday morning, crews were still out sifting through the fire debris to put out lingering embers.
Parksville Fire Chief Marc Norris said it will take a week to complete their investigation, with six business impacted by the fires.
B次元官网网址淲e will be dealing with all their insurance companies,B次元官网网址� said Norris. B次元官网网址淲e still donB次元官网网址檛 now how the fire started.B次元官网网址�
Newly elected Parksville Mayor Doug OB次元官网网址橞rien was out talking to business owners and firefighters, extending any assistance the city could provide.
B次元官网网址淭his is devastating,B次元官网网址� said OB次元官网网址橞rien. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a major loss to the many business owners.B次元官网网址�
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Dawn Deschamps, co-owner of Labelle Parksville restaurant, one of two food service establishments in the centre that suffered significant damage, was in tears, noting they were just recovering from the slowdown of their business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
B次元官网网址淢y first thought was, B次元官网网址榯hank God nobody was hurt,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Deschamps, who also owns nearby Serious Coffee. B次元官网网址淭hank God the animals were safe and thank God it didnB次元官网网址檛 jump to Serious. I am devastated for all the business owners that lost everything. So many of us, we are just coming out of the pandemic and to be hit with this is itB次元官网网址檚 just like you canB次元官网网址檛 get ahead.B次元官网网址�
The owner of the British Bobby Restaurant, Michael St. John, was also shocked to see the restaurant razed. His father John, called him at 1:30 a.m. to inform him the restaurant was on fire.
B次元官网网址淚 was hoping it wasnB次元官网网址檛 true,B次元官网网址� said St. John. B次元官网网址淲e just took over the business from my father just over a year ago and I just couldnB次元官网网址檛 believe what has happened. We were just starting to get good again. We got over the hill (the pandemic) and starting to get back on our feet, then this happens.B次元官网网址�
St. John said the British Bobby has been around for more than 20 years and inside the restaurant they had a huge variety of collectibles like memorabilia from movie sets and old English teapots. They hope to rebuild.
Staff at the Heritage Animal Hospital, who opened a little more than a year ago, are still looking for one of their two in-house cats that ran away. They too are devastated.
The six businesses that lease office space at the centre include the Parksville Qualicum Beach B次元官网网址. Upward Refillery and Ricoh were also impacted.
B次元官网网址淲hile we are unable to use our office following the fire, our team is working remotely and with our sister papers on Vancouver Island to ensure that the PQB B次元官网网址 will publish a Nov. 16 edition,B次元官网网址� said publisher Teresa Bird.
B次元官网网址淲e are grateful to the emergency workers and the building management for their diligence during the night, as well as to the community who have already been responding with offers of assistance.B次元官网网址�
The other businesses that suffered significant losses include Upward Refillery and NextGen Automation.
B次元官网网址� Will be updated
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