City police announce names of Winters Hotel fire victims
Vancouver police have now confirmed the identities of the two people who died in a fire at the Winters Hotel last month.
Mary Garlow, 68, and Dennis Guay, 53, were identified via DNA testing.
Police say their families have been notified.
Garlow was identified as one of the victims by family shortly after the April 11 blaze, while Guay remained unaccounted for until police confirmed he was one of the victims on Wednesday.
The fire left two people dead and destroyed the building, prompting a Downtown Eastside charity to call for an investigation into the agencies responsible for accounting for residents.
Guay was described by caseworkers at Vancouver's Union Gospel Mission as a happy-go-lucky musician who “wanted to teach everyone to play the guitar.”
UGM reported him missing April 26 after he didn't show up for a health appointment scheduled the week after the blaze.
The charity is pushing for greater accountability of the agencies involved in the emergency response.
Garlow is among the residents who was mistakenly accounted for in the aftermath of the fire. She has been described by friends as a sweetheart who would do anything to help people.
The two bodies were found at the hotel site during demolition on April 21.