‘It was not purposefully set’: Woman dies in Yaletown fire
Posted February 1, 2018 8:26 am.
Last Updated February 1, 2018 2:26 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A woman is dead after a late night fire in Vancouver’s Yaletown neighbourhood.
The fire broke out around 11:30 p.m. in a condo on Marinaside Crescent.
“We attended a suite that upon gaining entry we found was heavily charged with smoke,” explains Captain Jonathan Gormick with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services. “This incident was quickly made a second alarm to bring more staff because of the severity of the incident and it being an apartment building with multiple occupants.”
Crews then found the woman’s body, and say the fire was contained to unit and no one else was hurt. Investigators have determined the fire was an accident.
“It was not purposefully set, it wasn’t set with malicious intent. We’re not entirely sure about the circumstance surrounding the fatality, we have to wait until the coroner’s report comes back, but there’s no indication that this was anything other than a tragic accident.”
Gormick says fortunately the sprinkler system in the building was working, and adds the smoke alarm was activated. It’s unclear what prevented the woman from escaping.
“What the sprinkler did probably stop was probably the fire from spreading, and the smoke alarm notified the other occupants of the building that something was wrong, and gave them time to safely get out.
“While this is a tragedy for the deceased and the deceased’s family, this is a good story in that this fire could have been much worse if not contained by sprinklers, the smoke alarm, and the quick actions of our crews.”
He says there are early indications the fire may have been started by incense left burning, but that has not yet been confirmed.
This is Vancouver’s first fire fatality of 2018.
