Story Summary

The story of the Okanagan Hotel Fire will be retold using information and images held at the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives (GVMA). That material will be augmented with a series of interviews that will elaborate on, and clarify, many aspects of this event.

The dramatic high point will be revealing the story of the courageous Archie Hickling who escaped the fire and returned to the flaming hotel twice to save others. Two eulogies will be dramatically narrated for this video by local community leaders. The cause of the fire was established by a coroner’s jury as man made, but no one was ever arrested. The story investigates why and, with interviews, gets the essence of jurisprudence at the time.

The overall story is one of bravery but also recognizing the troubles of that time in Vernon’s history. There is a possibility of including some short re-enactment sequences to help tell the story, but only if sufficient funds can be raised to pay acting and location fees.