Fire destroys Street Church on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

A large fire spread through two buildings on Vancouver’s Downside Eastside, including the Vancouver Street Church, Wednesday night near East Hastings and Main Street.

The fire led to the evacuation of the nearby Maple Hotel, forcing 80 people out of the social housing building overnight.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services Captain Mike Trudeau says crews were able to keep the fire from spreading to the Maple Hotel and the vacant Balmoral Hotel. However, the Street Church could not be saved.

He says crews are hopeful Maple Hotel residents will be able to return home soon, but crews remain on scene tackling hot spots and have not yet been able to make entry into the fire-damaged buildings due to safety concerns.

Trudeau says one firefighter was hurt while tackling the blaze, and was sent to hospital but has since been released.

Large fire on Wast Hastings near Main.
Firefighters working hard to protect the residential building next door.@VanFireRescue @IAFF18 pic.twitter.com/BGASbVs7g9

— Karen Fry (@Karen_Fry) July 7, 2022

Meanwhile, the loss of the Vancouver Street Church is being felt throughout the community Thursday.

The church was founded by Pastor Randy Barnetson in 1993. Over the past 30 years, it’s provided support to those in need, through food, shelter, and comfort.

Pastor Barry McGaffin with the church says he’s grateful that no one was inside when the fire broke out but they are worried about what they will do without the space.

“I think it’s been a lifeline for many and over the years it’s been a training center as well, for those who particularly are concerned about reaching to the First Nations people,” he said.

“The building was not our building, the building was owned by [someone else] and so we were renting from them,” McGaffin said. “The future is really unknown for us. We’ll be holding a meeting on Saturday to consider what the future might be for that.”

Another video of the fire unbelievable pic.twitter.com/ABjd4HD9V6

— Sarah Blyth – Gerszak (@sarahblyth) July 7, 2022

Sarah Blyth with the Overdose Prevention Society says the loss of the Street Church affects everyone in the community.

“The folks there are well known for helping people and they’re, you know, they’re out in the street and in the community every day, helping people with the things that are happening on the front lines on a day to day basis. So it’s going to be really missed…so I really hoped that they can rebuild somehow,” she said.

Blyth adds there were also air quality concerns for people who live on the street in the area.

“It’s just really sad to think that, you know, some people just can’t get away because they’re homeless and a lot of folks have other issues, breathing-related, and it’s just really sad for the people that are having to deal with the situation.”

Seems like it’s only the shell of a building left. Roof collapsed. Not sure how much, if any, damage SRO residents evacuated from the Maple Hotel will return to. Seem relatively untouched. pic.twitter.com/dkBTV4qLGN

— Mike Lloyd ☕️ (@llikemoyd) July 7, 2022

Flames broke out before 10 p.m. Wednesday, with crews working to douse them into the early morning Thursday.

Vancouver Fire Asst. Chief Brian Bertuzzi says it was a tough battle, with flames repeatedly reigniting, sending thick smoke through the area.

“We’re just hitting hot spots now, chasing fire in an adjoining building where there was a roof collapse,” he said.

The cause of the fire remains unclear at this time.

5:17 – #Vancouver – Emergency crews remain on scene battling a fire in the Downtown Eastside. East Hastings is closed to traffic west of Main St. to Columbia St. until further notice #1130Traffic @JACK969van @sonicradio @CityNewsVAN https://t.co/RzmajRyRhk

— CityNews Vancouver Traffic (@CityNewsTraffic) July 7, 2022

Chad Harris with CityNews was on scene overnight.

“There was a large fire earlier, but it is mostly just smoke billowing from a building on East Hastings Street,” he said around 10:45 p.m.

“It looks like they’ve broken some windows to let out some of the smoke, that’s why there’s quite a bit of haze in the area.”

Wednesday’s fire comes in the wake of another damaging fire in Vancouver’s eastside in recent weeks. On Jun.29, a fire gutted the East Vancouver Value Village along East Hastings and Victoria Drive.

The cause of that fire also remains under investigation.

Listen live to CityNews 1130 every 10 minutes on the ones for major traffic updates. You can also follow us on Twitter @CityNewsTraffic or subscribe to breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

With files from Robyn Crawford