'We have nowhere to live': Dozens displaced after Burnaby apartment building fire
Three people were rescued and dozens more have been displaced after a third-alarm blaze at a Burnaby apartment complex in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to the fire department.
Crews were called to a three-story building on Albert Street in the Burnaby Heights neighbourhood around 2:45 a.m. A spokesperson told CTV News that the fire was contained to one suite on the third floor, but that roughly 20 other units sustained smoke and water damage.
Firefighters rescued three residents who were then taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. The cause is under investigation and an exact timeline for when people can return has not been set.
Billy-Joe Thorne lives on the second floor of the building and described the chaotic scene to CTV News.
"The guy above me had to climb down off the balcony -- from his balcony to my balcony to the bottom. I also had to get an elderly man out of an apartment," she said.
"Everybody got out because I was banging on the doors. No fire alarm went off on the third floor. On the second floor, it didn't go off for 10 minutes after the fire was already going. I got out of my apartment. I jumped up, I got out of the apartment and I banged on every door on the second floor to get these people out … It's very lucky that all of us are alive."
This CTV News photo shows an apartment in a Burnaby building destroyed by fire ao Aug.14, 2022.
Thorpe also alleges the building is not equipped with smoke detectors in the suites of fire extinguishers in the hallways.
She says she has no idea where she and her neighbours are going to go once their three nights at a nearby hotel are up. Thorpe also told CTV News that displaced residents have been given roughly $2,000 each by the landlord but that money won’t last long, and won't make up for the losses suffered by uninsured tenants.
"We have nowhere to live," she said. "They don't care about us. We are out on our butts … It's sad. It's sad for everybody."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.