North Vancouver 12-year-old awarded for bravery during apartment fire

A 12-year-old is being recognized for her bravery after calling police and waking up neighbours during an apartment building fire on Tuesday.

The fire started around 4 a.m. in a one-bedroom unit of an apartment building on Marine Drive near Lower Capilano Road.

Young Paryas Rezaei and her family woke up to the sound of a fire alarm blaring in their apartment.

Paryas Rezaei is being recognized for her bravery after calling police and waking up neighbours during an apartment building fire on Tuesday. (Angela Bower/CityNews)

After hearing the alarm, mom Azadeh Mehradad says she immediately went to call the fire department, but ended up needing help.

“The first action was to call 911, [but] because of my stress I couldn’t talk to 911, so my daughter spoke instead of me,” Mehradad explained.

Rezaei was able to give the officer information so officials could respond.

“They asked me if I saw any smoke or if it was a false alarm. They asked me the address, and then they came,” Rezaei recalled.

Today, Mayor Little & @DNVFRS Fire Chief Hutchinson recognized a young resident for her acts of courage during a recent fire in her apartment building. Congratulations, Paryas. https://t.co/nA87b3BMLR

— District of North Vancouver (@NVanDistrict) December 31, 2022

After calling officials, Rezaei says that despite her fears, she knocked on her neighbours’ doors and told them to get out of the building.

“I was worried, I was rushing to get everyone down, but I was really worried,” Rezaei said.

Subsequently, the family got themselves to safety.

“We did not have shoes or clothes, we just wore our jackets,” Mehradad said.

Paryas Rezaei was recognized by the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services for her bravery. (Angela Bower/CityNews)

Thanks to her bravery during the fire, on Friday Rezaei was recognized by the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services for her bravery.

“Paryas, what we have for you is the Fire Chief’s Commendation…presented in recognition for your outstanding actions and response to the fire incident on December 27, 2022,” North Vancouver Fire Chief Brian Hutchinson said during the ceremony.

“It takes a lot of skill and confidence to step into a situation that a lot of others would be very hesitant to. By your actions, and the actions of your family, we think you are really deserving of the Fire Chief’s Commendation,” he said.

District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little is also thanking Rezaei for her courageous role in the fire.

Fire broke out at an apartment building on Marine Drive on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Mahmoud Rezaei)

“Paryas, congratulations! Thank you so much [for the] brave thing you did to look after your neighbours,” Little said.

North Shore Emergency Management says 27 units in the apartment were affected, leaving 33 people out of the building — including Rezaei and her family.

The family can’t move back in until the apartment is repaired.

“Right now we are living in a hotel until January 5th,” Mehradad explained. But following Thursday, Mehradad says she doesn’t know where they will go.

“It would be way better to be where we were,” Rezaei said. She says staying in a hotel with four people is “pretty hard.”