RCMP investigating Burnaby fire as ‘possible arson’; 2 people hospitalized, 100 displaced
Posted November 19, 2024 7:42 am.
Last Updated November 19, 2024 4:35 pm.
A massive fire in Burnaby overnight is being investigated as possible arson, as surveillance footage obtained by CityNews shows people at the entranceway right before the fire ignited Tuesday morning.
The Burnaby Fire Department tells 1130 NewsRadio its crews were called to a U-shaped, three-storey walk-up apartment building near Kingsway and Jersey Street, right across from Central Park, around 12:30 a.m.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!“We have a fourth alarm fire going on. We’ve got over 50 firefighters and 13 engine companies [here],” Assistant Chief Gavin Summers explained Tuesday morning.
“We’re pouring water on this fire. … This fire is a stubborn fire, a dangerous fire. We’re in defensive operations right now trying to put it out,” he added.
Summers adds two people were taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, but their status is currently unknown.
“Firefighters rescued them from their suites, and they suffered some smoke inhalation, so they were handed off to BCEHS who took them to Burnaby General Hospital,” Summers said.
“It’s quite a large [building]. There’s going to be a lot of people displaced from this building, I would say at least 100 people are displaced, and they’re being put up by emergency social services right now,” Summer explains. Fire crews will be at the site all day the assistant chief adds.
“No one’s going to be able to get close to it until we deem it safe by structural engineers. So it’s going to be an all-day event.”
The Burnaby RCMP confirms to CityNews that the blaze is being investigated as “a possible arson.”
CCTV footage obtained by CityNews shows two people walking up to the building’s entranceway and throwing something right before the fire started.
A loud bang can be heard coming from the building.
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With files from Mike Lloyd and Cecilia Hua.
