Vancouver music venue cancels events after fire damages warehouse
'It's for so many people one of the only safe places where they can go to and express themselves'
A Vancouver music venue that caters to the city's LGBT community is out of commission after a fire damaged its building Thursday.
Vancouver Art and Leisure — an artist-run organization that operates a warehouse site at 494 Railway Street — has had to cancel or move upcoming events to other venues, putting its 20-plus staff temporarily out of work.
The organization holds the lease for the space, but works with other groups and artists in throwing events, including an electronic music bash that it hosted on New Year's Eve.
"It's been a lot of tough calls," said Jesse Harink, who oversees the organization's drag programming.
'Substantial damage'
In a release, Vancouver Art and Leisure said the fire started in a portable toilet outside, then spread to the building.
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services would not confirm the cause of the fire, but said it was investigating with the Vancouver Police Department.
Fire crews responded to a call at 10:15 a.m. Thursday at the 400 block of Alexander Street in Railtown and were on scene till 2 p.m., said David Boone, assistant chief of operations.
No one was in the building at the time and no injuries were reported.
"There's some substantial damage to the contents and some damage to the structure," Boone said.
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A safe space lost
Harink said a restoration team has surveyed the building, but the cost of damage isn't yet known.
The fire damaged the interior and the roof, and sound equipment suffered water damage, Harink said.
The organization moved into the building last May. In December 2016, robbers ransacked its former venue at 1965 Main Street and fled with expensive electronics and DJ equipment. .
Harink said the fire has been heartbreaking for staff, but the support from the community has helped.
"It's not just that it's an empty warehouse that caught fire," Harink said.
"It's for so many people one of the only safe places where they can go to and express themselves and feel like they are accepted."
Staff are hoping the venue will be up and running in the next two months.