The pub at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel is expected to remain closed this weekend after a fire led to the evacuation of residents Friday.
The fire is believed to have started in the fireplace of the hotel’s Snug Pub.
Oak Bay Fire Chief Frank MacDonald said firefighting crews responding to the fire shortly after 11 a.m. found the evacuation of the building already underway.
Firefighters from Oak Bay, Victoria and Saanich were able to contain and extinguish the flames and then ventilate the area.
MacDonald said the fire wasn’t large and the damage was contained to one area, but the fire had the potential to be “an extremely challenging event” given the winds and cold conditions.
The pub was damaged in the fire and would need a health and safety inspection before it could reopen, he said.
There were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Oak Bay Beach Hotel general manager Madone Pelan and hotel marketing manager Anneke Avila were about to begin a budget meeting when the alarms began ringing throughout the hotel. Pelan said the hotel’s evacuation was quick and organized due to regular fire drills.
“Everybody knew exactly what to do,” she said. “I’m very proud of the team.”
Avila thanked nearby residences and businesses that opened their doors to help keep staff and guests warm. “It’s always great to see the community step up for us.”
Lesley Wagner, a nearby resident, said many people from the hotel sheltered at the White House Apartments across the street as well as Hampshire House until a bus arrived to take people to the Victoria Golf Club, where some guests were provided coffee and a warm meal.
Hotel condominium resident Rollie Woods said he was still peering outside his fourth-floor window trying to determine whether it was a false alarm when Cocoa, his 12-year-old miniature schnauzer, began barking. He ran to the bedroom to wake up his wife, Gerri.
“It was like an episode from Lassie,” he said.
Seated inside the Victoria Golf Club, Gerri Woods called the first responders who helped her leave the building “top notch.”
People were able to get back into the building by early afternoon. Hotel operations for the weekend are not expected to be affected by the fire.
Avila said while the Faro, the hotel’s 54-seat restaurant, was expected to resume dinner service Friday evening, the Snug Pub would be closed for the weekend for a deep clean and until it passes inspection.
“Hopefully early next week, we should be back up and running some service from the pub.”
