Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (VFRS) says a man has succumbed to his injuries in hospital after a fire broke out in a 15-storey high-rise in the West End.
Firefighters responded to reports of the blaze on the fourth floor of a building at 1255 Pendrell St. at 6 a.m. Monday (Jan. 31). Crews arrived at the scene within a couple of minutes, Asst. Chief Ken Gemmill told Vancouver Is Awesome in a phone interview.
The department classified the blaze as a "second alarm" fire almost immediately, which means that 40 firefighters were on scene within five minutes.
Two people were taken to St. Paul's Hospital following the incident. One of them, a female occupant, made her way out of the fourth-floor unit via a neighbouring window and then out of the building. The other occupant, a 37-year-old male, was rescued by firefighters; he later succumbed to his injuries in hospital, Gemmill said.
A deceased cat was also found during the investigation. No other injuries were reported. Approximately 22 displaced tenants will stay in a hotel supplied by Emergency Social Services.
Gemmill noted that the building's fire alarm system worked, which prompted everyone to evacuate. However, there were no sprinklers in the building and they could have prevented some of the damage.
The fire "appears to be accidental" but VFRS is conducting an investigation.
A tenant shared a video of the flames engulfing the suite on the fourth floor.
