Vancouver firefighters were busy last night knocking down three separate fires in Downtown Eastside single-room occupancy hotels.
Two of the fires were intentionally set, and a third has been deemed suspicious, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services said in a tweet.
3 SRO #fires in the #dtes last night. 2 of them were intentionally set and another deemed suspicious. Getting our crews there quickly made a significant difference in isolating these fires and preventing further damage. pic.twitter.com/Doy2GTsGCa
ā Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) December 16, 2022
The first call came in around 4:30 pm for a fire at 144 East Hastings Street, where there was a fire in a suite on the third floor. Crews encountered heavy smoke in the hallway and fully involved flames in the room, but were able to put it out before it spread.
Then, at 435 West Pender Street, another fire broke out in a room — again on the third floor.
Finally, at 5 am Friday at 74 East Hastings Street, there was a fire on the main floor of the building.
No one was injured in any of the fires, and no residents were displaced, Fire Captain Brian Bertuzzi told Daily Hive.
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It’s been a bad year for fires in the Downtown Eastside. Two people died when the entire Winters Hotel was destroyed in a fire in April, and firefighters spent 10 hours battling flames at a summer fire in the Vancouver Street Church.
Crews have responded to more than 200 fires at Vancouver SROs in 2022.
“There’s no rhyme or reason. It’s not heat or cold-related. I’m not sure what’s going on. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Bertuzzi said.
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