Massive fire engulfs South Vancouver housing facility under construction

CTV Vancouver: Searching for answers after fire Vancouver firefighters say they haven't seen a blaze this large in years.

A huge fire at a seniors’ assisted living facility under construction in South Vancouver continued to smoke more than 16 hours after it first started.

Fire crews blocked traffic at 49th Avenue and Granville Street Saturday morning as they dealt with the smoke at the Granville Gardens housing project.

The fire sparked just after 6:30 p.m. Friday evening, creating massive flames shooting nearly twenty metres in the air and plumes of smoke that could be seen from kilometres away.

More than 50 firefighters and additional command staff were on site at the height of the fire as the flames spread rapidly through the complex.

“This is probably one of the bigger fires we’ve had in the last four years,” said Vancouver Fire Department Deputy Chief Brian Godlonton. “When you’re dealing with homes and houses under construction, especially big complexes like this, they’re quite complicated and the fire grows quite fast.”

Firefighters surrounded the blaze and doused it from at least four ladder trucks, getting it under control within two hours. Godlonton said if the sprinkler system had been active, the fire would have been put out much more quickly.

The 62-unit rental housing project, which firefighters said is valued at $10.2 million, was scheduled to open next month, according to its website but that will likely be delayed for many months.

No injuries were reported.

Fire crews confirmed the blaze is not being deemed suspicious but investigators will still continue to sift through debris for several more days to try and determine the cause.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Jon Woodward