Downtown Vancouver fire: Several people rescued, 5 taken to hospital

Five people were taken to the hospital after a mixed-use building went up in flames in Vancouver’s Gastown neighbourhood Monday morning.

Two were transported in serious condition while three were in stable condition, according to a statement from BC Emergency Health Services. Others were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Officials said the fire broke out at the building shortly before 11 a.m. Monday.

Fire Chief Karen Fry posted a video of the firefighting efforts on Abbott Street, saying “several occupants rescued.” However, the fire department has not yet said how many people were rescued, or provided further details.

The building on fire has businesses on the ground floor and residences on the upper levels, and it appears the fire started on one of the residential floors.

Fry’s video showed smoke pouring from a four-storey brick building near Water Street as firefighters aimed a spray of water at the upper floor.

Shortly after noon, the chief wrote that “13 firefighting apparatus” were at the scene of the three-alarm fire. BC EHS said nine paramedic ground units and three paramedic supervisors responded to the scene in the historic neighbourhood popular with tourists.

The upstairs floors are run by a non-profit organization as a single-room occupancy hotel for lower-income residents.

The organization that runs the building, Atira Women’s Resource Society, told CTV News the hotel has about 90 units, and that a triage space has been set up to help those displaced by the fire.

Staff at Atira have already been able to offer some residents alternate housing at other properties, a spokesperson said. They’re also working with a partner organization to provide overnight shelter.

Atira was not able to say how many people were living in the building at the time of the fire.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth addressed the situation ahead of a news conference Monday afternoon, saying the province will be helping to coordinate support for those impacted, including displaced residents. He said BC Housing has been notified, and estimates about 70 tenants will need to be relocated.

Through the morning and into the afternoon, smoke could be seen from several kilometres away as flames poured from the roof of the red-brick building. Some in the area reported power outages, and Simon Fraser University’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts closed “due to poor air quality.”

The school said all events and classes at the Woodwards’ building have been cancelled. Vancouver police are asking drivers to avoid the area because of the fire.

Those in the downtown area are told by Vancouver’s fire chief to keep their windows closed to avoid the toxic smoke wafting indoors.

On scene large fire on Abbott St.@VanFireRescue @CityofVancouver

Several occupants rescued pic.twitter.com/65n12IQmKm

— Karen Fry (@Karen_Fry) April 11, 2022