Vancouver man, 34, dies in hospital days after apartment fire

A photo from Google Maps shows the exterior of a building where a fire broke out in Vancouver's Mount Pleasant area on Monday, May 29, 2023. Two days later, fire officials say a 34-year-old man succumbed to serious burn injuries sustained during the blaze.

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.