Firefighters say Hastings Street tent occupants made battling SRO blaze challenging
Firefighters say 10 people have been displaced after a fire in an SRO hotel on the Downtown Eastside Friday night.
Crews were called to the building on the corner of Hastings and Columbia streets just after 8 p.m., according to Ken Gemmill, assistant chief of operations for the Vancouver Fire Rescue Service.
Gemmill said the number of tents on Hastings Street in front of the building made firefighters' initial attack on the blaze challenging.
"It was mayhem at the beginning," he said, adding that some residents of the tents refused to move to allow easier access for fire crews.
"We had to call Vancouver police for backup."
The fire was primarily located in a unit on the second floor of the building, overlooking Hastings Street.
That unit suffered significant damage from smoke and fire, while other rooms in the building and the convenience store on the ground floor suffered water damage, Gemmill said.
He said 11 firefighters responded to the blaze, which was knocked down quickly thanks, in part, to the building's sprinkler system.
While crews received reports of people inside the building when they began fighting the fire, everyone made it out safely and no injuries have been reported, according to Gemmill.
On Saturday, firefighters said the blaze began on a mattress that was positioned near a window in one of the units. Exactly what caused the mattress to catch fire is still under investigation, crews said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal doctors' breakthrough discovery about causes of cerebral palsy giving hope
A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
For years she thought her son had died of an overdose. The police video changed all that
Austin Hunter Turner died in 2017, on a night that his mother has rewound and replayed again and again, trying to make sense of what happened.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.