Update: Fire and police officials have concluded their initial investigation of the fire that started inside an Argyle St. building and say it is suspicious. Police are asking for witnesses who saw anyone in the surrounding area, enter the building or can provide any information about the arson to contact the local detachment at 250-723-2424, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Original story:
An early morning fire has gutted the Argyle street building that housed the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s Quu’asa Program staff.
Calls about the fire started coming into the Port Alberni Fire Department at 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 7. By the time they arrived at the large building at the corner of Argyle Street and 2nd Avenue the upper floor of the building was fully involved.
There were no injuries. Fire fighters from PAFD, Sproat Lake Volunteer Fire Department and Beaver Creek Volunteer Fire Department attended the fire. Fire fighters remained on the scene through the night and the following day.
The fire occurred on the coldest day of the year with temperatures dipping below -13C. This created a peculiar scene; as water cascaded from a fire ladder over a still smoking building, icicles dripped off of doorways, power lines and the street below was a thick sheet of ice.
Despite losing their office space, Quu’asa workers, who provide cultural support to Nuu-chah-nulth people, were hard at work.
According to Kim Rai of Quu’asa, he and his staff are still open for business and were busy connecting with their downtown partner service organizations getting the word out about the fire.
Notices were placed at The Bread of Life, NETP, Port Alberni Community and Women’s Society and other service providers.
Quu’asa clients may continue to reach their workers through the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council at 250-724-5757; please ask for Andrea Pettigrew. Calls will be forwarded to individual worker’s cell phones.
The nine displaced Quu’asa workers will work out of the Mission Road NTC offices for the time being. They will eventually relocate back to the downtown area.
Quu’asa staff will be travelling to communities as scheduled.
The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council apologizes for any inconvenience this office closure may cause.
Please check the Ha-Shilth-Sa website for updates.
