Overnight fires in Vancouver send 2 to hospital
Posted December 13, 2022 6:33 am.
Last Updated December 13, 2022 6:56 pm.
Fires in different parts of Vancouver overnight have sent two people to hospital, with one in critical condition.
A single-family home at Nanaimo and 27th streets in East Vancouver went up in flames and ended in a dramatic rescue.
Our crews are on scene at a aggressive residential fire near Nanaimo St and 27th.
One person rescued by first in crews and transported to hospital.@VanFireRescue @IAFF18 pic.twitter.com/r1wrmCy3KI
— Karen Fry (@Karen_Fry) December 13, 2022
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services Chief of Operations Ken Gemmill says a woman was rescued from a second-floor window and was taken to Vancouver General Hospital in critical condition after suffering burns and smoke inhalation.
“There was three other tenants that came out the front door all with some minor smoke inhalation who did not go to the hospital,” Gemmill said.
Thirty-six firefighters with more than eight fire trucks tackled the fire which Gemmill says is still under investigation.
“When you get those calls for imminent rescue for trapped [people] on roofs with flames coming out both sides of the house, [we] respond with a lot of fire trucks quickly,” he told CityNews.
During firefighting efforts, Vancouver police say a driver tried to weave their way through the fire trucks, and drove over one of the main water supply hoses.
A driver wove through firetrucks at a fire, then drove halfway over a fire hose and got stuck.
After speaking with the fire crew, we made the driver stay put until the fire was out to protect the integrity of the hose.
He was there for hours.
Oh, and #heresyourcoupon.#VPD
— Sandra Glendinning (@BehindBlueLine) December 13, 2022
The hose didn’t burst, but the vehicle became stuck and officers made the driver stop and keep the vehicle straddled over the supply line.
The driver was also handed a ticket, which comes with a minimum $500 fine, and was made to stay until
Meanwhile, another fire in Vancouver’s West End sent a resident to hospital early Tuesday morning.
The two-alarm fire saw 44 firefighters respond, and VFRS Fire Chief Karen Fry says the fire was contained to the unit on the 11th floor of a highrise building on Nelson Street near Thurlow Street.
