The Little Shuswap Lake Band (LSLB) says the Quaaout Lodge near Chase will be rebuilt after it was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

That is according to Kúkpi7 James Tomma, who says the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage is still being investigated.

“Our focus right now is on the safety of our community and doing what we can to support our guests and our employees. But I can tell you we will rebuild,” Tomma said, in a statement Monday.

“This has been a traumatic incident for everyone involved, from our guests to our employees and especially our community members. Thankfully, and most importantly, there were no fatalities or serious injuries.”

Tomma says the word Quaaout means “when the sun’s rays first touch the water” adding “there will be a new dawn for the lodge and for our community.”

“Quaaout Lodge is an important part of our community. It’s an engine of economic development, but also the cultural heart of the community,” Tomma said.

All 70 guests rooms at the lodge were damaged in the fire which likely started in the attic, according to Chase Fire Chief Brian Lauzon, who was speaking to The North Shuswap Kicker.

“I want to personally thank our Skwlax volunteer firefighters and the Chase Fire Department for their heroic efforts in responding to the fire, and also the staff at Quaaout Lodge who, without a second thought, ensured they got everyone safely out of harm’s way when the fire started,” he added.

Guests at the Indigenous-owned lodge about 70 km east of Kamloops say the fire alarm went off around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, noting the blaze was “completely out of control” by the time the first fire trucks got to the scene.

For now both the resort and adjacent Talking Rock Golf Course will remain closed while the initial investigation into the fire is completed. There is no timeline as to when that investigation could be complete, and the LSLB won’t speculate on a cause.

The Little Shuswap Lake Band, through its fire department, management at the Quaaout Lodge, and the in-house emergency support services coordinator, is working with agencies to provide support to guests and employees who were displaced by the fire.

Quaaout Lodge opened in 1991, though according to the resort’s website, band members conceived the idea of a hotel back in 1979 to spur economic development in the area.