2022 could be record-breaking year for structure fires in Vancouver, officials say

It’s looking like it will be a record-breaking year for structure fires in Vancouver, according to the city’s fire department.

This year, the department says there has been 3,220 structure fires, as of Tuesday.

Vancouver Fire Captain Matt Trudeau told CityNews single room occupancy buildings (SROs) have been hit especially hard.

“Our crews go to SRO fires almost every day … as of October 31st, we’ve had 184 structure fires in SROs,” he said.

“Quite often we’re having not just incidental ones, but fires with damage inside of the structure and contents requiring us to go and extinguish whatever size fire that’s there.”

Trudeau believes that number is easily over 200, if you take into account the last month.

In a tweet Tuesday, responding to a fire at an SRO on Powell Street, Vancouver Fire said “There has been 202 fires in SRO’s so far this year.”

Operations have concluded on the 1500 blk of Powell Street. There has been 202 fires in SRO’s so far this year. pic.twitter.com/sZfsm0lWPI

— Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) November 29, 2022

Just a few hours later, Vancouver Fire shared another tweet, saying crews responded to another SRO fire, this time on Dunlevy Avenue.

Tweeting, “This building has had at least 14 fires in it this year alone, These fires have increased 32% in the past 3 years. Total fires in the city that have caused damage have increased 50 per cent in the same period.”

Crews currently putting out another SRO fire on the 200BLK of Dunlevy Ave. This building has had at least 14 fires in it this year alone. These fires have increased 32% in the past 3 years. Total fires in the city that have caused damage have increased 50% in the same period /1

— Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) November 30, 2022

As for the cause of the fires, Trudeau points to carelessly discarded smoking materials.

“That’s anything to do with the materials for lighting, using, igniting, cigarettes, drugs, heating up drugs – in that realm. Ignition sources to do with smoking is our number one cause of those fires,” he said.

“There’s a big problem of smoking in these buildings, and it’s a routine problem for fires and a significant number of nuisance calls in almost all SROs.”

Trudeau says another contributing fire igniter in SROs has been from the modification of lithium-ion batteries used in consumer electronics or E-bikes.

As we move deeper into the winter months, Trudeau says there is definitely concern that there will be an increase in fires to close out the year.

“More activity inside means more fire activity inside as well. Where [as when more] people would be outside it wouldn’t be as dangerous, potentially, depending on what they’re doing.”

“This time of year … people moving back inside, there’s an increase in fire activity for sure.”

DTES group says SRO fires are “devastating” 

The Union Gospel Mission is often the first point of contact for someone when they are displaced due to a fire at an SRO.

“This year has been really record-breaking in terms of seeing how many individuals have been displaced due to the fires that have happened,” UGM Spokesperson Nicole Mucci told CityNews.

Mucci says it’s been devastating to watch.

“Not only are these individuals dealing with other traumas from other experiences in their lives, they may also might be dealing with different mental health difficulties or with addiction,” she said.

“But then when you are displaced and you lose the very few belonging that you have, any sense of security, any sense of knowing where you’re going to lay your head at night, that’s completely taken from you. Not to mention how traumatic a fire in your home can be.”

Mucci recalls one crushing memory from earlier in the year.

“There was a gentleman who had come to our Easter meal when some of the first fires happened,” she explained.

“He sat down and told us the only time he had gotten to eat throughout that entire week was when he was coming to UGM for lunch and for dinners, and he started to cry because he only had the clothes on his back. And when he narrowly escaped the fire with his life what he left behind were all of the essentials that you need in order to continue living.”

“He lost his I.D., his clothing, any paperwork to prove who he was, he was starting from scratch,” Muccie continued. “Quite literally, he had many, many difficulties ahead just in terms of being able to access the resources he needed to be able to maintain a base level of dignity … it’s so hard to already be dealing with stigma, mental health or addiction, poverty, and then you add everything be taken from you in a fire, it’s really disheartening.”

Mucci believes more needs to be done to make sure people can have dignified and safe housing.

“Every single person is different, we can’t slap a one size fits all housing solution during this housing crisis that we’re facing… I’m really hoping we’re able to come to some sort of movement across all levels of government with the different organizations in Vancouver to make sure people are getting the housing that they need. Especially as it continues to get colder,” she said.