70-foot flames at major fire on Granville Street near 49th Avenue (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
A major fire has burst out at Vancouver at a seniors’ housing construction site on Granville Street near West 49th Avenue.
Witnesses told Vancity Buzz that flames on Granville Gardens’ multi-storey wooden structure are as high as 70 feet tall. The fire began at approximately 6:30 p.m. and has since spread to tall adjacent trees within the property.
Fire crews with 12 trucks from across the city are responding to the scene and are focusing on containment to prevent the fire from spreading to other properties.
Police have closed off the surrounding roads, including sections of West 49th Avenue and Granville Street within the area. The following bus routes are detoured for the duration of the evening:
- #10 Downtown/Granville, reroute via Oak Street and 41st Avenue
- #49 Dunbar/UBC/Metrotown, reroute via Oak Street, 41st Avenue and Arbutus Street
- #49 Metrotown, reroute via Arbutus Street, 41st Avenue and Oak Street
- #480 UBC/Bridgeport, via 41st Avenue and Oak Street
Smoke from the fire can be seen across Metro Vancouver. Crowds of people are in the area watching the fire.
Granville Gardens is an assisted seniors living complex, with 62 private studio and one-bedroom suites. It was scheduled to open early next year.
UPDATE at 10:00 p.m. – The fire is contained, but nearby roads remain closed.
Image: Jacob Ung
Image: Jacob Ung
Image: Jacob Ung
Image: Jacob Ung
Image: Jacob Ung
Image: Daniel Leung Photography
Image: Daniel Leung Photography
Image: Daniel Leung Photography
Image: Daniel Leung Photography
Image: Daniel Leung Photography
Image: Daniel Leung Photography
Image: Daniel Leung Photography
Crowds gather at 49th and Granville to watch fire crews combat huge blaze @CKNW pic.twitter.com/0DlPKfCFSy
— claire allen (@claireallen980) October 4, 2014
#BREAKING: more from that massive fire @ 49th and Granville pic.twitter.com/AyAiWsSQYq
— Norma Reid (@CTVNorma) October 4, 2014
#BREAKING: massive fire at 49th and Granville. We’re LIVE. pic.twitter.com/yBSRr6sOjR
— Norma Reid (@CTVNorma) October 4, 2014
#Breaking: Fire burning near 49th and Granville Street in Vancouver, possibly at residential construction site. pic.twitter.com/na5C2f7xlQ
— CTV Vancouver (@CTVVancouver) October 4, 2014
Do you live near the fire burning on 49th and Granville in Vancouver? Contact our newsroom at 604-609-5800. pic.twitter.com/LA4C32bsnJ
— CTV Vancouver (@CTVVancouver) October 4, 2014
#VancouverFire pic.twitter.com/x0rlED4Mh2
— Simon Reece (@SiReece91) October 4, 2014
The view of the smoke stack currently rising from a fire in Vancouver. Taken from North Van. pic.twitter.com/jH7x4DF6RX
— Kelsi Williams (@RealKelsi) October 4, 2014
Feature Image: Byron Runka
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