A fire that erupted in Vancouver’s West End neighbourhood Wednesday morning sent two people to the hospital, one of them in critical condition.
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services tells CityNews crews were called to an apartment building along Haro Street just after 10 a.m.
“We found a fire on the 15th floor. Upon entry to the suite, our crews encountered a male who they pulled out into the hallway and started CPR. We had another patient who was brought down and was off to VGH for smoke inhalation,” explained Assistant Fire Chief Pierre Morin.
He notes the man who was pulled into the hallway did resume breathing once he was brought to the lobby. However, Morin says he remains in critical condition.
Crews say at least 11 people were displaced by the fire. While heavy damage was contained to the unit in which the fire started, Morin says there is water and fire damage to around a dozen other suites.
“The 15th floor is completely vacated at this time, and we have two suites on the 14th with water damage,” he told CityNews.
Information online indicates the building is a social housing complex.
Morin says “fortunately” the door to the originating suite was closed, so the fire didn’t spread into the hallway or other suites.
“We had about 48 firefighters attend this — it was a second alarm,” he added.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.