Surveillance video taken inside Vancouver's Winters Hotel that shows a man trying to put out a growing fire unsuccessfully, was one of several videos presented to the jury Monday at the coroner’s inquest into the deaths of residents Mary Ann Garlow and Dennis Guay.
Time stamped April 11, 2022, the images show flames falling from the ceiling and landing on the first floor.
Seconds later, a man can be seen facing the fire, and then a quick burst of suppressant is visible coming from the canister he's holding.
He leaves briefly and then tries again, but without success, as more flames fell from above.
With smoke filling the air, another man with a cloth covering his mouth is shown knocking on hallway doors.
The jury heard testimony that the fire extinguishers in the Winters Hotel were empty, and that the sprinklers had been turned off following an earlier fire.
Another camera captured what transpired at the same time in the lobby.
A man appears to be motioning for people to hurry up and leave the building.
Residents can be seen carrying bags, and some had pets under their arms.
A captain from Vancouver Fire Rescue Services described the hotel as a very old building completed in the 1900s with none of today’s safety codes, which allowed the flames to spread rapidly.
“There are other buildings that have way more fires than the Winters Hotel, and they haven’t burnt down,” Capt. Cliff Lee told the jury.
His testimony was followed up by Deputy Chief Rob Renning, who admitted to be concerned about several of the old single-room occupancy buildings, or SROs, in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
“In my opinion they are very unsafe, they shouldn't be used for what they’re used for,” he said.
