A coroner's inquest will be held this fall into the deaths of three men in a pre-Christmas fire at an east Vancouver home described by neighbours as a flophouse.
The fire, caused by a faulty extension cord, has evoked political controversy beyond the tragedy itself over the city's handling of multiple bylaw infractions at the rental residence.
The opposition NPA has attacked Vision Vancouver, which holds a majority of council seats, because the home was not shut down before the fire could happen.
The long-time head of the city's property-use inspection branch, Carlene Robbins, resigned in late January. She is suing for wrongful dismissal.
Ms. Robbins' lawsuit claims she was demoted after the fatalities, a move that she argues was effectively a dismissal.
The Dec. 22 blaze on Pandora Street just west of the PNE claimed the lives of Garland McKay, Dwayne Rasmussen and Stephen Yellowquill. They had been sleeping on the back porch.
Despite the rooming house's numerous bylaw infractions, city officials had determined that it was not a safety risk and evicting its nine homeless residents would have caused hardship.
The alleged violations did not centre on electric wiring, but on concerns such as leaking pipes, lack of hardwired smoke alarms, broken windows, holes in the wall and a dysfunctional furnace.
The extension cord that led to the fatal fire had been used to connect to an old string of Christmas lights, which short-circuited.
At an emotional memorial service for the three men, pastor Barry Morris urged the government to call a coroner's inquest.
"Was this a tragedy waiting to happen, just by the nature of it being an old house and dilapidated?" he asked the packed hall. "The question of getting affordable and adequate housing is not easy."
The inquest was announced Friday by the provincial coroners service.
A statement from Vancouver Metro Regional Coroner Owen Court said proceedings will "determine and make public the facts surrounding these deaths."
A specific date for the inquest has not yet been set.