Man charged with arson following Lake Louise fire that destroyed staff residence, displacing 165 people
After receiving reports of a man appearing to be "in distress" on the roof of the Charleston Residence, RCMP found a man in possession of a weapon and managed to deescalate the situation
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A 40-year-old Lake Louise resident has been charged with arson following a Monday fire that destroyed a staff residence building at a resort in the mountain hamlet, displacing 165 workers.
Lake Louise RCMP said Tuesday evening that they received a report around 12 p.m. Monday that the Charleston Residence was on fire, and there was a male on the roof “who appeared to be in distress.”
Officers found the man on the roof of the Charleston Residence in possession of a weapon.
“Officers deescalated the situation and convinced the male to come down a ladder, however, he slipped and fell to the ground,” RCMP said in a statement.
The man sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police said, and was taken to a Calgary hospital for treatment.
Following an investigation from the Southern Alberta District General Investigation Section, the man was arrested and charged.
Timothy Alexander Peterson, 40, has been charged with arson with disregard for human life and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Police said Peterson has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Calgary on Friday, July 7.
‘Some people have lost their life’s work in some of these places’
The Charleston Residence is considered a complete loss after the fire. The site was still smouldering Tuesday morning and was expected to remain active for the following 24 to 48 hours.
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“It’s a tragedy,” said Dan Markham, spokesman forLake Louise Ski Resort and Summer Gondola, which operates the residence. “I think there’s a lot of folks that are really feeling displaced right now. They don’t feel secure, a lot of people have lost their passports, their visas, some people have lost their life’s work in some of these places.”
In the face of this fire the village of Lake Louise has rallied to the aid of those who lost their home.
Clothing drives have popped up throughout the community for those who escaped with only what they had on their back, while the resort has engaged businesses and community members to find housing for people as the busy season gets underway.
Still, more is needed.
“We’re definitely looking for people that are displaced,” said Markham. “Most of the places we have right now are short term. We’re looking for anything within the Bow Valley, Canmore to Field, anywhere that we can be putting some people for at least the next few weeks.”
Those with room to put someone up or other donations are asked to email Markham at info@skilouise.com.
Hundreds displaced as staff residence in Lake Louise engulfed in flames
'Quite likely that the entire building will be lost,' says resort
official
Despite losing almost everything she owns on Monday, Hayleah Sabourin says she's grateful that she's still alive after a fire tore through her residence in Lake Louise, Alta.
"As much as, yeah, it really sucks that I lost literally everything that I own, I'd rather that than not have the chance to wake up tomorrow," Sabourin said.
"In the situation that I was in, how close I was to the fire and the fact that I was sleeping, I could have been in a way worse situation. I could have died."
Residents of the Charleston Residence — a three-storey log building that houses hundreds of staff during the year — saw their living quarters go up in flames on Monday.
Police, along with local fire departments and EMS responded to the blaze at around noon. Buses transported people from the fire scene to a muster point at the Lake Louise ski hill, according to RCMP.
There is one person in custody following the fire. The cause of the fire is still unknown, RCMP said.
It's believed the Charleston Residence was housing between 150 and 200 people. It can house as many as 400 during the busy winter season.
There were no fatalities reported, but one person was assessed and taken to hospital following the blaze, Alberta Health Services said, adding the patient was in serious but stable condition.
Sabourin said she saw one person trying to escape the flames.
"There was a guy on the ledge of the actual building," said Sabourin.
"He was on the ledge kind of trying to get away from the fire, trying to be safe."
WATCH | Smoke rises from a fire at the Charleston Residence:
Clouds of smoke can be seen from a distance after the Charleston Residence was engulfed in flames. (Video submitted by Alyssa Wadey)
A resort official said temporary accommodations for some of the people displaced have been arranged, but it is likely the building has been destroyed.
"It's quite likely that the entire building will be lost," said Dan Markham, communications director for the Lake Louise Ski Resort.
He added the gondola as well as the restaurant and beverage operations at the ski resort will be shut down for the next few days.
A clothing drive has been set up at the Lake Louise Inn for residents of the Charleston.
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