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Police stay quiet on downtown fire investigation

The fire at Victoria’s Plaza Hotel was deemed suspicious on May 14
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Investigations into a suspicious fire at 603 Pandora Ave. have been ongoing. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)

The Victoria Police Department is not releasing updates in regards to the investigation of a downtown fire.

The Plaza Hotel Fire at 603 Pandora Ave. became part of an investigation on May 14 after the fire was deemed suspicious. VicPD and the Victoria Fire Department are continuing to work together to understand the cause of the fire.

READ MORE: Downtown Victoria fire deemed ‘suspicious’

Additionally, police are still looking for more information on the live-in caretaker, Mike Draeger, who has not been seen or heard from since the fire took place on May 6. At this point, police consider Draeger as “unaccounted for.”

So far the BC Coroners Service said no evidence of human remains have been found.

VicPD spokesperson Const. Matt Rutherford said in an emailed statement that more information will not be put forward to the public for a while.

READ MORE: 4 million gallons of water used on downtown Victoria fire so far

“We won’t be providing any update on the search at the hotel,” Rutherford said. “It is ongoing, and will be for days, if not weeks.”

Anyone with information on the fire or on Draeger’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Victoria Police Department through the non-emergency line at 250 -995-7654.

-with files from Kendra Crighton

nicole.crescenzi@vicnews.com


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