Residents and property owners are demanding answers after a fire tore through an abandoned building in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on Tuesday, forcing people from their homes and impacting neighbouring properties. Dramatic video from the scene showed flames and thick black smoke pouring from the abandoned building at 568 Powell St. “It was huge and it was just terrible. A lot of people live around here,” said Jeff Slen, who works at the neighbouring Promise Vancouver. Vancouver Fire Rescue Services says no one was injured in the blaze. However, at least two people have been displaced, with additional residents in neighbouring single-room occupancy buildings and a seniors supportive housing facility potentially also affected. Asst. Chief Eric Barron said firefighters have responded to the property repeatedly in recent months. “Firefighters have frequently come to this building in the last little bit,” Barron said, adding that city building officials would evaluate the structure Wednesday morning. For neighbouring property owner Bob Fontaine, the latest fire is part of a troubling pattern. Fontaine owns a nearby building that includes a restaurant and SRO units. He says previous fires at the abandoned property have already caused damage to his building and resulted in costly insurance deductibles. “It’s cost me twice now. I’ve had to pay deductibles, large deductibles, because of the damage that they did to my building,” he said. Fontaine says he repeatedly contacted the city, warning about squatters and the risk of fire at the property. “I’m really disappointed with the service that I’m getting,” he said. “They keep saying, ‘we’re investigating, we’re investigating.’” Neighbour Carmen Buchmann says she also raised concerns with the city, sending multiple emails warning that fencing around the building had been damaged, making it easier for people to access the site. “I’ve been contacting the city to try and get it fixed because squatters come in and I was concerned about fires,” Buchmann said. The fire also appears to have affected the nearby offices of Promise Vancouver, a non-profit organization that supports children and youth in the Downtown Eastside. “I saw a lot of water in the back of our door just getting sprayed, so I don’t think we’re going to be back anytime soon,” Slen said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. CTV News contacted the City of Vancouver for comment but did not receive a response before deadline.
