A man who was found unconscious in a burning home in Burnaby Wednesday has died in hospital, despite the efforts of firefighters, paramedics and one brave neighbour.
The fire broke out at a duplex on 16th Avenue near 1st Street around 5:30 p.m., just as trick-or-treaters were heading out in their costumes.
Before fighters reached the scene, one man tried to rush into the home on his own, only to be thwarted by the smoke pouring from the property.
"A neighbour had kicked the door in," Asst. Fire Chief Stew Colbourne said. "But with the heavy smoke, they couldn't enter."
The Good Samaritan gave firefighters "as much information as they could" to help out, Colbourne said.
Crews entered the home and found a 55-year-old man passed out on the floor. They carried him onto the lawn, where they immediately began first aid.
He was breathing as paramedics loaded him into an ambulance, but authorities said he succumbed to his injuries overnight.
The other unit of the duplex is home to a family of five, who have been displaced, at least for the time being. One witness, Julie Brown, told CTV News the family hasn’t been in the neighbourhood long.
"I sure hope they can move back into their place," Brown said. "They're from back east. They have no family here."
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it’s believed to have been sparked in the front of the home, near the living room.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Allison Hurst
