乌鸦传媒

Devastation, sadness and heartbreak are widespread following a fire that destroyed the guest wing of Quaaout Lodge in Skwlax, Secw茅pemc territory, in the Thompson-Nicola region.

On the shores of Little Shuswap Lake, about 45 kilometres northwest of Salmon Arm, Quaaout Lodge & Spa at Talking Rock Resort is described by its social media as the pride of the Little Shuswap Lake Band.

乌鸦传媒淏uilt to share the local history and culture of the Secwepemc people,乌鸦传媒� is another descriptor.

Fire broke out in the early morning of Sunday, May 22.

乌鸦传媒淭his has been a traumatic incident for everyone involved, from our guests to our employees and especially our community members,乌鸦传媒� said James Tomma, Kukpi7 (Chief) of the Little Shuswap Lake Band (LSLB). 乌鸦传媒淭hankfully, and most importantly, there were no fatalities or serious injuries.乌鸦传媒�

He offered his personal thanks to firefighters and staff.

乌鸦传媒淭o the Skwlax volunteer firefighters and the Chase Fire Department for their heroic efforts in responding to the fire, and also the staff at Quaaout Lodge who, without a second thought, ensured they got everyone safely out of harm乌鸦传媒檚 way when the fire started.乌鸦传媒�

Kukpi7 Tomma said an investigation of the fire乌鸦传媒檚 causes and the extent of the damage is now underway. One thing is already certain, however. He said Quaaout Lodge will be rebuilt.

乌鸦传媒淥ur focus right now is on the safety of our community, and doing what we can to support our guests and our employees,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut I can tell you we will rebuild. Quaaout Lodge is an important part of our community. It乌鸦传媒檚 an engine of economic development, but also the cultural heart of the community.

乌鸦传媒淨uaaout means 乌鸦传媒榳hen the sun乌鸦传媒檚 rays first touch the water,乌鸦传媒� and there will be a new dawn for the lodge and for our community.乌鸦传媒�

Our Lodge and Golf Course will be closed until further notice, and we will be providing more updates through our social media in the coming days.

Kukpi7 James Tomma will be providing an official statement tomorrow, May 23rd.

碍耻办蝉迟蝉茅尘肠
-The Quaaout Lodge and Talking Rock Team

乌鸦传媒� Talking Rock Golf Course (@Talkingrockgolf)

Louis Thomas, a knowledge keeper with the Neskonlith band, said the fire has affected many people.

乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 deeply felt throughout the nation. A lot of our meetings were held out there. It乌鸦传媒檚 kind of like an iconic building for our people. It乌鸦传媒檚 one of the first endeavours for our people to get into economic development. They struggled with it, survived and made a go of it.乌鸦传媒�

He added the loss is being felt by many non-Indigenous people as well.

At the North Shuswap Chamber of Commerce, Debbie Seymour, executive director, said along with the Little Shuswap Lake Band and the Quaaout team, the fire will affect tourism in the area.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 impacted the community a great deal 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 an important place for all of us out here. It乌鸦传媒檚 a great facility, it乌鸦传媒檚 a great place not only for our visitors but for our locals. Sometimes they stay there in the off season, or for the pool, lunch, golf 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 a facility for everybody.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 just sad. It乌鸦传媒檚 very hard for many here.乌鸦传媒�

She said she thinks businesses and the community will write letters of support for the band.

乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 important we let them know we乌鸦传媒檙e thinking of them and we乌鸦传媒檙e here to help. It乌鸦传媒檚 important to respect their culture, and we乌鸦传媒檙e aware of giving them time乌鸦传媒�,乌鸦传媒� she added.

She said she was at Quaaout last week and the parking lot was full. While that was good to see, the latest news wasn乌鸦传媒檛.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a very, very sad, sad, sad situation.乌鸦传媒�

Chase Fire Chief Brian Lauzon said the fire appeared to have started in the attic of the first section of the building, adjacent to the lobby. He said the complex has firewalls and firefighters thought they乌鸦传媒檇 managed to save the second section of the lodge closest to the lake.

乌鸦传媒淲e thought we had a good save there,乌鸦传媒� he said.

However, in the afternoon, smoke started slowly coming through the vents and the plumbing stacks. 乌鸦传媒淲e knew we lost that one.乌鸦传媒�

Lauzon said he thinks the entranceway, the dining room, the kitchen, the lobby and the banquet rooms may still be intact. However, he added, the walls are now too unstable so it乌鸦传媒檚 not safe to go inside.

He said the good news was that no one was hurt.

乌鸦传媒淓veryone was accounted for, even the animals got out who were staying there,乌鸦传媒� he said, adding he thinks the lodge was almost full.

Rushed out of our rooms and hotel at Quaaout Lodge this morning near Chase, BC. Fire has taken control of main hotel room section. RCMP still looking for 4 people who they think left in their cars.

乌鸦传媒� 饾檯饾櫎饾櫄饾櫋 饾檱饾櫄饾櫕饾櫘 馃�� (@StedyPhoto)

LSLB said it is working with the appropriate agencies to provide support to displaced guests and employees. The resort will remain closed while the initial investigation is completed. Updates will be provided to the public as new information becomes available.

Quaaout Lodge (pronounced kwa-ow-oot) was first conceived in 1979, and opened in 1991. It has been updated and expanded over the years, including the addition of the Talking Rock Golf Course in 2007, a Top 20 PGA of Canada-rated course.

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