Vancouver man, 34, dies in hospital days after apartment fire
A 34-year-old man that was seriously injured in a fire that broke out in a Vancouver apartment earlier this week has died, officials confirmed Wednesday.
The man was rushed to Vancouver General Hospital around 5 p.m. on Monday, after firefighters responded to a call at 600 East 6th Ave. in Mount Pleasant, according to Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.
“Upon arrival, firefighters found a male occupant of the building with serious burn injuries located outside of a unit which had a fire,” VFRS spokesperson Matthew Trudeau wrote in a statement.
The man died late Wednesday morning at Vancouver General Hospital, Trudeau confirmed by email.
VFRS said in a statement that the fire was caused by open flames, which “ignited combustibles and caused burn injures.”
Speaking to CTV News by phone Wednesday, Trudeau said the fire appeared to be mostly on clothing and bedding inside one unit.
“In buildings where we see lower income and more prevalent drug use, there seems to be a lot more disorder in the units,” Trudeau said, adding it’s believed the man was using drugs prior to the fire.
It broke out at Carolina Court, a building operated by BC Housing that is intended for low-income individuals and families.
Trudeau says he’s heard rumours that the deceased man was actually in his 50s, but says the fire chief on scene was told the victim was 34 years old.
He says two other individuals were around the unit at the time, and can’t confirm whether the man may have been using drugs alone.
Trudeau says most of the flames were doused by a working sprinkler system, and crews on scene dealt with remaining smouldering materials.
Smoke alarms in the unit were not functional at the time, according to the VFRS.
When asked about the smoke alarm, BC Housing told CTV News that the system was removed from the unit “without our knowledge or approval” prior to the fire.
In addition, the Crown corporation says the individual who died was not a registered tenant.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic event. Our thoughts are with the loved ones of all involved, the residents of Carolina Court, and the frontline staff members and first responders who have worked hard to support all involved,” BC Housing wrote in a statement Wednesday.
Earlier this year, the organization launched a “Fire Reduction Working Group,” in order to address concerns over fire events at single-room-occupancy buildings and other projects, implement preventative measures and develop better response plans for staff.
BC Housing says the group is still in the information gathering and research stage.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.