More than 40 people, including children, have lost their home after a fire destroyed a building at the Williams Inn Friday night.
Just before 10 p.m., the Williams Lake Fire Department received a report of a fire at one of the buildings at the Williams Inn, formerly known as the Howard Johnson Hotel, directly across from Safeway on Fifth Avenue.
The building housed many low-income patrons and is separate from the hotel area of the business.
Firefighters were initially able to start a search of the third floor of the structure, but intense fire conditions forced them out.
Thirty-one firefighters from the Williams Lake department, as well as personnel and apparatus from the 150 Mile House and Wildwood fire departments fought the fire, which destroyed the building. The main hotel and other buildings were not affected. No building tenants or firefighters were injured in the fire. However, there are reports of missing and deceased pets.
Firefighters were on scene for more than six hours fighting the fire. Emergency Social Services personnel relocated affected tenants to another building of the hotel. However, some have found accommodation elsewhere. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time, but does not appear suspicious.
“Our thanks to the RCMP, who did an incredible job in accounting for each tenant, Emergency Social Services, who were instrumental in taking care of tenants, and to the Wildwood and 150 Mile House fire departments, who assisted for the duration of the fire,” says Fire Chief Randy Isfeld.
The hotel has not been licensed as a Howard Johnson facility since Jan. 31.
For information on how to help out the victims, see page A3.