An early morning fire on Boxing Day has displaced almost 40 guests at a motel in Nanaimo, B.C.
B.C. Emergency Health Services says it received a call before 3 a.m. on Friday about the Value Lodge Motel at 736 Nicol St.
Ambulances took seven patients to hospital for smoke inhalation.
Motel owner Aohan Cui said 36 people were displaced due to the fire — and the motel is now closed indefinitely.
“Unfortunately, we are living the nightmare of the worst case scenario,” Cui said.
“Currently, the building as it stands is not fit for occupancy, so there will be no opportunity for people to … live in their homes again.”
‘It was a nightmare’: resident
In the early hours on Friday, resident Arynne Hempstock had been up since midnight.
But while trying to fall asleep, she heard bangs.
Smoke soon began to make her cough and firefighters rushed in, yelling for people to leave and helping guests escape through the dark smoke.
Hempstock, who has lived at the motel for five years, adjusted to the cold weather outside and took in the scene.
“The first thing was … ‘Oh my God.’ The roof was on fire.”
She saw the fiery roof crash into her neighbour’s apartment.
“It was a nightmare, just watching that fire.”
Some displaced residents have been put up in a local hotel with government support.
Hempstock described the motel as a community where residents, including pensioners and workers, looked out for each other.
“It was quiet; it wasn’t a party scene,” she said.
Hempstock said she’s hopeful that she can salvage some of her possessions, but added she worries for some of her neighbours in the long-term.
She now plans to move to Alberta to live with family.
City, province offer temporary emergency support
The city’s emergency support services have been activated, according to Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog.
“It’s a pretty sad disaster at a very challenging time of year for lots of people,” he said.
Many non-profits that can help in these situations are closed for the holidays, he noted.
Residents who weren’t transported to hospital were taken by regional bus to Bowen Park, a civic community centre, for temporary shelter, according to Krog.
The province said it is supporting about 30 people as a result of the Value Lodge fire.
The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction said emergency support services, which are typically provided for 72 hours, have been extended to at least Jan. 2.
“[We] will work with local partners to ensure affected clients have access to longer-term lodging, food, clothing, and financial supports,” the ministry said in an emailed statement.
Emergency lays bare housing crisis: mayor
Krog said the fact that a motel is used for shelter on more than a temporary basis indicates that there is a shortage of suitable housing for people who face financial and other challenges.
“Housing remains in crisis mode across this province. And when a fire like this occurs, it places incredible pressure on the people involved, but also on service providers who are trying to house people,” he said.
A significant part of the city’s homeless population is not just unhoused, but also unsheltered, according to Krog.
There were 621 homeless individuals in Nanaimo, according to the 2024 point-in-time count presented to city council in July. City consultants consider the number a conservative estimate.
The Value Lodge Motel in Nanaimo, B.C., had a significant fire Dec. 26 that displaced more than 30 residents. (Aohan Cui/Submitted)
Almost 70 per cent of those counted as homeless were unsheltered, including sleeping rough on the street, in parks or encampments.
“This [fire] is a grim reminder of what has become the norm in British Columbia, that many of our fellow citizens are unhoused or living in inadequate housing and we need to do better,” Krog said.
Cui said as rents have increased, some people may have the money to pay monthly rent, but not a first and last month deposit. The motel bridged that gap, he said.
Cui is now asking for community assistance to help find housing for the 36 people displaced.
“These are more than just my tenants, you know, there really is a community out there,” he said, noting residents included seniors and people on low incomes.
One resident has lived in the motel for almost 25 years, according to Cui.
“It’s one thing to lose your home, but to turn around and lose your entire community, that’s a whole ‘nother thing,” he added.