Crews battle blaze at house fire in North Vancouver; no injuries reported
Posted August 17, 2024 1:25 pm.
Last Updated August 17, 2024 7:39 pm.
The District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services confirms there have been no injuries reported at the scene of a house fire in North Vancouver near Delbrook Park.
Crews were called out to the home on the corner of Delbrook and Windsor early Saturday afternoon, Assistant Fire Chief Dwayne Derban tells 1130 NewsRadio.
When they arrived, the fire was through the roof.
Derban says that initially, they hoped to knock the blaze down from inside, but they were not able to do so and instead had to fight it from outside.
“We declared it a defensive fire, which means that we’re not going to enter the structure,” he said.
“It’s too far gone.”
Derban said it was also a challenge getting around the house due to it being surrounded by dense gardens and trees.
The lone occupant of the home was already out when they got there, so Derban said their strategy was to just surround the structure and make sure it didn’t extend to any neighbouring houses.
“We eventually had to wait for it to break through the roof and hit it with our tower, put it out,” he said.
He says the occupant had a number of pets who all made it out safely.
Derban says that because nobody’s life was at risk, their priority was to stay back and keep crews safe.
“Once the fire’s evolved to that extent, there’s no saving the structure itself,” he said.
As of late afternoon, Derban says some crews remain on the scene but the majority have been sent away.
Multiple callers to 1130 NewsRadio reported seeing large columns of ‘black billowing smoke’ related to the fire throughout the afternoon.
Traffic in the area has been affected for several hours, and drivers should expect delays. As of 4 p.m. Saturday, Delbrook Avenue was closed between Queens Road and Windsor Road.
Listen live to 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver every 10 minutes on the ones for traffic updates. You can also follow us on X @NewsRadioVAN and subscribe to Traffic Alerts as they happen, sent directly to your inbox.
