UPDATE: Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m.
Following an apartment fire earlier in the day, residents from the fourth floor and above were able to return home by Tuesday evening. But those on the first three floors will have to wait.
Restoration crews are on scene and an investigation into the cause of the fire continues, said District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services assistant chief Mark Dear, noting that one firefighter suffered a minor burn while putting out the blaze.
Residents from 26 units living on the first three floors of the building have been displaced and were registered with emergency support services Tuesday evening, North Shore Emergency Management director Emily Dicken said. Emergency support including lodging and food is set to be provided to those displaced until Jan. 5.
Dicken added that there are a handful of other residents who aren't able to return to their units because the elevator is out and mobility issues limit them from accessing their units.
Of the displaced residents, Dicken said people are still processing their situation. "We have mental health and wellness supports on site right now helping people navigate the emotions of it."
A spokesperson from BC Emergency Health Services said five ambulances and a supervisor responded to the fire. "Paramedics cared for and transported two patients to hospital in serious condition," the spokesperson said.
As of Wednesday, Vancouver Coastal Health confirmed that both individuals taken to hospital were in "crticial condition."
ORIGINAL: Dec. 27, 10:45 a.m.
Two people were sent to hospital after a fire broke out in a North Vancouver apartment building early Tuesday morning.
A report of a blaze came in at 4:17 a.m. at the International Plaza apartments at 1959 Marine Dr., said Mark Dear, assistant fire chief with District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services.
Crews from all three North Shore fire departments responded to the call, and discovered a “fully involved” single unit on the third floor.
Firefighters preformed a primary search and fire control, and found two individuals in the unit who were taken out of the building at transferred to the care of BC Ambulance Service, Dear said.
Dear said he believes the patients were unconscious at the time, and were sent for care at Vancouver General Hospital. North Shore News has reached out for more information on the status of the patients.
According to the District of North Vancouver, around 70 people evacuated from the building are receiving support services from North Shore Emergency Management and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) at a warming station set up at Lions Gate Community Recreation Centre. The building is leased on Squamish land.
Dear said there is extensive damage to the one-bedroom unit where the fire occurred. “There’s smoke and water damage to the hallway on the third floor and water damage on the first, second and third floor,” he added.
Dear expects Tenants in units not significantly impacted by the fire to be able to return home at some point on Tuesday, but it’s not yet clear when that will be.
There’s no word yet on a cause of the fire.
North Shore Emergency Management director Emily Dicken said her team knew right away to stand up a reception centre at Lions Gate due to the proximity of the fire.
“We’re really busy at the moment,” she said. Once fire services have completed their investigation and know the extent of the damage, NSEM will start working with evacuees to return home or transition to emergency support services for those who can’t return to their units. “That will look like lodging, food and emergency clothing supports to get through the next few days to few weeks,” Dicken added.
With several fires impacting North Shore residents in recent weeks, Dicken said there’s a lot of fatigue in the response system right now. “But we're really well resourced at NSEM – we have a wonderful depth and capacity of volunteers in our program.”
