Firefighters responded to a massive blaze in the South Vancouver area that caused significant damage to two homes.
A large house fire broke out near 64th Avenue and Columbia Street just before 4 p.m. on Wednesday (Aug. 3), according to Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (VFRS) Assistant Chief of Operations Kane Morishita.
After it was assessed by the crew, the blaze was upgraded from a working fire to a second-alarm fire and finally to a third-alarm fire. There were approximately 38 firefighters and roughly seven heavy fire trucks at the scene just northeast of SW Marine Drive and Cambie Street, he told Vancouver Is Awesome.
While there were no injuries, there was "significant damage to two homes," including the house where the blaze broke out and another house next door.
Twenty-one people were also displaced between the two residences. Morishita couldn't confirm the extent of the damages to the buildings, however.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Huge fire in South Vancouver by Marine Drive. Fire crews now on scene but hope everyone is okay. #yvr #fire pic.twitter.com/Xosga5QYIe
— Cole Evans (@ColeJEvans) August 3, 2022
Important fire safety considerations
If you see firefighters at the scene of a blaze, be sure to avoid interfering with their operation.
Once upon a time, Vancouver drivers were only issued an $81 ticket for driving over a fire hose — despite the incredible cost to fire and rescue services.
But all of that changed when one of the city's firefighters was severely injured after a negligent driver drove over a fire hose while he was connecting to a fire hydrant.
Find out what the new penalty is and some important fire safety considerations.
