The cause of that massive fire Nanaimo has been determined.
Fire investigators say the fire was electrical in nature and began in a void space between the first and second floors near the centre of the building.
There were reports of a power disruption in the downtown area on the afternoon of the fire but investigators do not believe it was a contributing factor and they are classifying the fire as accidental.
Fire Chief Craig Richardson says fires of this magnitude are a rare occurrence in Nanaimo and the investigation team worked hard to try to find the cause as quickly as possible.