1 dead, 2 injured after explosion, fire at Vancouver SRO hotel
Police and firefighters are investigating after an explosion and fire at a single-room occupancy hotel near the intersection of Hastings and Main streets in Vancouver Saturday morning.
Acting Asst. Chief Walter Pereira of Vancouver Fire Rescue Service told CTV News one person had died in the incident at the Hotel Empress and two more were taken to hospital for treatment.
Crews arrived shortly after 7 a.m. to what Pereira described as "pandemonium" outside the building.
The cause of the explosion and fire is still under investigation, but Pereira said it appears to have been related to a lithium ion battery, possibly the battery of an electric bicycle.
“(The victim) just happened to be sitting in the wrong place at the wrong time and he fell out the window due to the explosion," said Pereira. "Either he lost his footing or was sent out the window due to the subsequent explosion.”
He said fire crews were able to contain the fire to the room where it originated.
The building's second floor was evacuated, Pereira said, adding that Vancouver police were on scene conducting an investigation to determine whether the incident was criminal in nature.
"It sounds to me, from my conversation with the fire investigator, it was all accidental in nature," said Pereira. "Really just an unfortunate set of circumstances for the person in that suite."
An engineer was called to assess the structural integrity of the hotel. Pereira later told The Canadian Press that the building had been deemed structurally sound.
Meanwhile, Vancouver City Councillor Pete Fry is concerned by the possibility of an e-bike battery causing the explosion. Fry says electric modes of transportation, including bikes and scooters, are growing in popularity throughout the city.
“If there’s a role for us as a city to regulate how these batteries are stored, or if there’s a larger conversation that needs to happen on a national level about e-devices and batteries, I'm certainly looking forward to getting results and ensuring this kind of thing doesn’t happen again,” said Fry.
The fatal incident is the latest example of an increase in deadly fires across B.C. highlighted earlier this week by the provincial fire commissioner.
Brian Godlonton released his office's annual report on Wednesday, showing a 119-per-cent increase in fatal fires across the province in 2021 compared to 2019.
There were 59 fire-related deaths last year, up from 27 in 2019. With 33 deaths already recorded in 2022 before Saturday, this year is on pace to break records.
Perhaps the most notable deadly fire of 2022, so far, happened in another Vancouver SRO.
Flames tore through the Winters Hotel in the city's Gastown neighbourhood on April 11, killing residents Mary-Ann Garlow and Dennis Guay and displacing the building's other 69 residents.
Though BC Housing initially said everyone who lived in the building was accounted for, the bodies of Garlow and Guay were found during demolition of the building on April 23.
The tragic discovery raised questions about earlier statements from the housing provider, which told CTV News in May that it was working to "better understand how the two residents were inaccurately accounted for during building evacuation, and if there are any necessary adjustments to policy and procedures for buildings under BC Housing management or that are publicly owned."
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan and Lisa Steacy and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.