Candles glow for fire victim

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Vigil for the men that died in a fire at Aquarius bathhouse on Notre Dame. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

A fire that tore through the upper floor of a Winnipeg bathhouse Sunday morning killed two men, including a flamboyant drag queen.

Steven Yablonski, 23, a popular gay performer at alternative-entertainment pageants across the city, died in the fire at Aquarius Men's Bath, 457 Notre Dame Ave. Police have not yet identified the second victim.

The fire at about 7 a.m. Sunday caused about $500,000 in damage to the two-storey building. Officials say the origin of the fire is suspicious.

Yablonski's mother, Andrea, said her son was bitten by the entertainer bug at an early age and loved to sing and dance.

"He had great stage presence," she said. "Everyone loved his singing. You could see he was a true entertainer."

Yablonski, whose stage name was Kerri O'Kee, spent his childhood in and around Fraserwood and Gimli. He moved to Winnipeg two years ago and had been working at Pizza Hut. He had been planning to write and record a CD, his mother said.

"I'll miss him, his smile and hugs and kisses," Andrea said. "He's in a better place. He's in heaven. He's in peace."

Yablonski was set to compete in a drag competition next weekend for the Snowy Owl Monarchist Society, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community organization that raises funds for local charities. The event has been postponed, the organization said. A memorial will be held next weekend instead.

Yablonksi's friends were adamant about not talking to news media and interview requests were not immediately answered.

But they have been mourning his death on Facebook.

By early Monday, a group on the social networking site had been set up. More than 500 people have joined to share their condolences and memories. Photos posted on the Facebook page show Yablonski with friends and singing karaoke dressed in drag.

"A true entertainer and a tragic loss," wrote Stefan Maroni. "Always a smile on his face and a beautiful personality. You will be greatly missed."

Said Ricardo Medeiros: "No matter where he goes, I'm sure he is singing."

About 100 people turned out for a candlelight vigil for Yablonski in front of the destroyed bathhouse Monday night.

The crowd was about half women, half men. One woman placed a long-stemmed rose on the sidewalk for Yablonski. "I got yellow because it symbolizes courage," she said.

People lit white candles and milled about quietly. Someone was handing out a songsheet with the lyrics to Hero, by Enrique Iglesias, to be sung later.

"It was Steve's favourite song," one man explained.

"We're here because this doesn't make any sense at all. When that happens, we have to come together," another man said, addressing the crowd.

"(Steve) loved doing charity work. He loved helping out as much as he could," said another man.

People at the vigil didn't seem to know the identity of the other person killed in the fire.

The building was formerly a training centre for taekwondo students. It was remodelled in 2001 for the bathhouse, a place where people meet and often have sex.

At the fire scene Sunday, one man was found dead and the other was conveyed to hospital in critical condition and died shortly after.

Winnipeg police and the arson strike force continue to investigate, said Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Const. Jacqueline Chaput. Early damage estimates are $300,000 to the building and $200,000 to the contents.

Aquarius was one of two bathhouses in the city. It served men only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and was coed the other days of the week. The owner of the bathhouse could not be reached for comment last night.

On its website, the establishment offered more than 40 rooms for patrons to "explore," including a bondage room. According to its rules, alcohol, smoking and drugs were not permitted.

However, one former Aquarius client told the Free Press drugs had become commonplace and that coed nights created tension at the bathhouse.

"When you put gays in a straight bar, there's going be tension. People get freaked out," said Richard Bjornson. "You don't know who you're hitting on. You hit on a straight guy and -- bam! -- you get hit back.

"Homophobia is alive and well," he said.

Chaput said it's too early in the investigation to determine whether the fire was a hate crime.

matt.preprost@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 13, 2009 A3