VANCOUVER – The owner of a Vancouver rooming house where three men died in a fire last Dec. 22 says she planned to evict the tenants on the first of that month but took pity on them when they pleaded with her to stay through the holidays.
Choi Hong Leong told an inquest she had several run-ins with city inspectors over conditions at the house but planned to deal with the problems by issuing an eviction notice for Dec. 1.
She refused to explain why major repairs were never made at the home despite several orders from city inspectors between 2007 and 2010.
City inspector Pamela Kisselback testified she visited the home many times and issued numerous repair orders but the city never followed through on threats to shut down the house.
The city’s chief inspector at the time, Carlene Robbins, who later lost her job, says the city didn’t shut down the house because there was no imminent danger to the tenants and the priority was to ensure they had housing.
A fire department captain has already testified that a faulty extension cord and frayed Christmas lights caused the fire. (CKNW, News1130)
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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