At least three people have been rescued from a fire in a social housing hotel in Vancouver's downtown eastside.
The blaze broke out in one of the rooms on the second or third floor of the Washington Hotel at 177 East Hastings just after 1 p.m. Thursday.
Firefighters used ladders to reach the second floor, where they helped two people - a man and a woman - out of the burning building and onto the fire escape. A third person was escorted out of a third floor suite and helped down the ladder.
Several residents are being treated for smoke inhalation at the side of the road.
Flames can be seen coming out of a second storey unit, and heavy smoking pouring out several windows on the second and third floors.
The cause of the fire is not known at this time.
Police have closed the 100 block of East Hastings St. Traffic on Hastings between Gore Ave. and Columbia St. is shut down, as well as Main St. between Cordova St. and Pender St.
Managed by the Portland Hotel Society (PHS), the 84-unit Washington Hotel provides social housing and support services to people living on Vancouver's downtown eastside.
PHS's executive director, Mark Townsend, told CTV News he is working with emergency services for the displaced occupants of the hotel. It is believed most of the 85 occupants will be allowed back into the hotel Thursday night.
The hotel was built in 1912 and known as the Hotel Maple until 1935. It was finally renamed to the Washington Hotel in the 1940's.
Check back to CTV British Columbia for more on this developing story.
