Crews called to massive fire at vacant Vancouver apartment building

A Vancouver apartment building that has been vacant since it was gutted by a fire almost exactly a year ago was engulfed in flames Tuesday.

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services Assistant Chief Keith Stewart said initial reports around 4:30 p.m. noted heavy black smoke billowing from the three-storey building at 414 E. 10 Ave.

“Upon arrival, the entire third floor of this vacant structure was on fire,” he said, adding that there have been multiple fires reported in the empty building in the past 12 months.

“We have no firefighters inside, we’re doing an exterior attack at this time. Once the fire’s under control, if we can go inside at that time, we’ll do that to do a search. But at this time, we have not been inside the structure.”

Over 40 firefighters were involved in the effort to contain the blaze and have been able to prevent it from spreading to any neighbouring buildings, Stewart added.

On July 26, 2023, a fire tore through the 80-unit building, damaging it so extensively that all of the tenants were displaced. Fencing was put up around the perimeter and access points were boarded up, but in the months following the fire, VFRS said it received several calls for fires after “squatters” made their way inside.

In September of 2023, the acting assistant chief for VFRS described the building and the repeated fires as “a danger to the neighbourhood.”

Rob Vucci, who lives in the building next door, said the repeated fires have caused frustration and fear for people who live in the area.

“I’m potentially watching my home burn down and thinking about how entirely preventable this would be if the city had just done something to take care of the life and safety of people in this area,” he said, his voice shaking.

“This building should have been torn down a year ago.”

The City of Vancouver, in an email, said the building did not “meet the criteria to order it demolished in the interest of public safety.” The security and safety of the building, the city said, is “fully” the responsibility of its owner.

This is a developing story and will be updated.