Massive third-alarm fire destroys East Vancouver thrift store

A popular thrift store was destroyed and several people were displaced when a massive-third alarm fire broke out in East Vancouver.

The blaze broke out late Wednesday night at the Value Village on East Hastings Street near Victoria Drive.

The flames and heat were so intense that members of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services were still putting out hotspots Thursday morning.

VFRS says the fire was already out of control by the time firefighters arrived, tearing through the building in minutes.

“The amount of fuel that would have been in the store, it generated a lot of heat very quickly,” said Brad Hesse, assistant chief of operations for VFRS.

Bright orange flames shot into the sky with thick plumes of smoke consuming the neighbourhood.

The grey haze could be seen from as far as the North Shore.

“You could feel the heat and when the glass exploded, it was like a boom. Very loud sonic boom,” said Clark who works nearby.

“The flames were higher than the building, at least 30 feet higher than the building. It was fully engulfed,” he described.

The 911 call came in around 10 p.m. when the store was still open, but officials believe everyone got out safely.

“At this time, there's no record of anyone missing. To the best of our knowledge, everyone was evacuated safely and we have no reports of injuries at this time,” said Hesse.

Two neighbouring apartment buildings had to be evacuated of about half a dozen people.

“There was smoke in some suites and a bit of water damage to some of the suites,” explained Heese.

VFRS says they’ll be able to return home Thursday night.

The fire triggered a massive response with nine trucks and nearly 50 firefighters on scene.

“Crews did a fantastic job of keeping the fire contained to just that one building, considering when they arrived, the amount of heat and flames that were coming out of that structure,” said Hesse.

Smoke remained an issue Thursday morning.

Officials urged people to avoid the area if possible and told residents to be cautious.

“I suggest always closing up windows, turning off any kind of air conditioning or heating units that might be pulling in air from outside,” said Hesse.

Due to the intensity of the fire and the fact that the building was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived, officials are unsure what started the fire.

“At the time, I don't have any information as to whether or not it was suspicious,” said Hesse.

That will be up to the fire investigator to determine once the hotspots are out.

East Hasting is closed eastbound between Commercial and Victoria drives while crews complete their work.