Another fire broke out over the weekend at the Turner building, which resulted in an order for the controlled demolition of what remains.
This follows the January fire which caused "significant structural damage" and required fire professionals to shut down a zone around the building.
“We’ve been working with the property owner for a couple of weeks now,” Victoria Fire Chief Dan Atkinson said, explaining the order for a demolition aims to get rid of the risk of an uncontrolled collapse which could endanger the public.
The building was vacant, and although there were some security measures in place, someone seems to have gotten in before the recent fire.
“I’m not going to speculate with respect the cause, it’s too unsafe for our crews to enter,” Atkinson said, “but what we can say is considering all the factors that we definitely believe there is a human element with respect to how this fire started, but the cause is undermined.”
There are many things involved in planning this demolition to protect the environment and local residents. From controlling any potential exposure to asbestos to mitigating any run-off into local waterways, there are many elements to consider, he said.
Any fees incurred by the city as a result of this action will be passed along to the property owner as per local bylaws and provincial legislation, Atkinson added.
Atkinson was on CFAX 1070 with Al Ferraby this morning: