Fire in a residential building leads to major traffic closure in Vancouver

Update: The fire has since been knocked down, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services said just before 12:30 pm Wednesday. 

A fire at a residential building in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood has led to major traffic impacts as firefighters try to knock down the blaze.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services tweeted just after 11 am that Kingsway at East Broadway has been closed as a result of the fire, and people travelling in this area will need to take a detour instead on Main Street.

#RiderAlert 19 Metrotown Station/Stanley Park detour beginning at 11:02 AM. Regular route to Fraser and Kingsway, then Fraser, Broadway, Kingsway resume regular route due to fire. Both directions. ^MR

— TransLink BC (@TransLink) June 21, 2023

It comes in the wake of another major fire in recent days in the city, after someone’s smoking materials sparked a 200-square-foot inferno on Richards Street and West Pender early Tuesday morning. More than a dozen firetrucks responded to the area, and residents might have heard the explosions from the contents of the tent from blocks away. Luckily, no one was hurt.

Over the weekend, first responders were called to two fires within hours of each other in residential buildings.

Saturday, firefighters responded to a residential building on the 200 BLK of W 2nd for two fires within hours of each other, one of them was caused by a rechargeable battery on an E-bike. Water supply challenges, heavy smoke and heavy fuel load made these difficult. @iaff18

— Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) June 19, 2023

This is a developing story.