A hotel in Courtenay is temporarily closed while it cleans up from water damage.
Contrary to some information circulating, Bayview director of operations Grant Smith, whose family owns the hotel, said not all of the sprinklers activated, as reported, though water did run for a while.
鈥淛ust the sprinkler in the person鈥檚 room went off, but it ran for a substantially long time,鈥� he told the Record. 鈥淭he fire department need to know there鈥檚 not a fire anywhere before the water could be shut off.鈥�
The incident happened shortly before midnight on Saturday, June 12. A hotel news release said a sprinkler head was tampered with and broken in the fourth-floor room, which resulted in further water damage below.
鈥淲e have no idea of the extent of the damage,鈥� Smith said.
At present, the Bayview is conducting a major clean-up and having the damage repaired. In the meantime, it is closed, and Smith is not sure how quickly it will reopen. The closure is coming at a time when travel restrictions due to COVID-19 are starting to lessen.
鈥淲e want to reopen safely as safe soon as we can,鈥� he said.
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Following the incident, the hotel was evacuated, and staff contacted guests with reservations and, where possible, helped with finding other accommodations.
鈥淥ur staff have been wonderful during these trying periods and are looking forward to welcoming guests back as soon as possible,鈥� the hotel said in the news release.
mike.chouinard@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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