Demolition underway for DTES church that caught fire twice

A church on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside that was the site of two fires in a matter of months is being demolished.

A tweet from the City of Vancouver says the demolition of Street Church on East Hastings Street will take place on Wednesday and Thursday.

Demolition of 163 & 169 East Hasting will take place today and tomorrow. Our goal is to complete the work and clean-up as safely and quickly as possible to minimize impacts on businesses and residents in the area, so working hours may be extended into the evening if needed. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/9bevClzKnq

— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) November 9, 2022

“Our goal is to complete the work and clean-up as safely and quickly as possible to minimize impacts on businesses and residents in the area, so working hours may be extended into the evening if needed,” the city said.

Street Church was the scene of two fires in the span of three months. The first happened in July and was deemed arson by Vancouver police. The second fire happened last month.

Read More: 

• Vancouver Street Church fire believed to be arson: VPD

• Thousands raised for those affected by DTES fire in Vancouver

The city says fences and signs will be in place to ensure people stay away from the site. Businesses and residents in the area are being encouraged to close windows and vents, and to stay away from the demolition site.

“We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you in advance for your understanding and patience while we undertake these critical demolitions,” the city said.

With files from Charlie Carey