One man was hospitalized and a family is temporarily out of their home following a townhouse fire on Squamish Nation land Sunday night.
When crews arrived at the complex on the 400 block of Mahon Avenue, they saw smoke billowing out of a second-floor bedroom window, according to North Vancouver City Fire Department Chief Dan Pistilli.
“We did an interior attack and found a mattress and some clothing on fire in the bedroom,” Pistilli said.
Crews evacuated all of the units and doused the burning mattress. One of the home’s residents attempted to put it out himself but was unable to, Pistilli said. He was later taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
The suite sustained water and smoke damage, Pistilli said. The family will be staying with relatives while repairs are done.
“We had to breach a couple walls just to check for extension,” he said. “You always worry about exposure.”
Pistilli said the case underscores why firefighters so often plead for due care and attention when it comes to open flames.
“The investigators are going in today, but the indications are that it was potentially a teenager playing with matches or doing something in their room with a candle or matches,” he said. “We’re going to follow up and talk to the youth about the use of matches.”
Pistilli also advised that residents should routinely check that their smoke detectors are in working order.
