The actions of a vigilant off-duty Vancouver police officer may have saved lives as a massive fire broke out at a house in Vancouver this morning.
Jonathan Gormick, public information officer for Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, says it happened just before 6 a.m. on East 28th Avenue, west of Knight Street.
The off-duty VPD member was driving past the residence when he spotted heavy smoke and called 9-1-1 immediately.
Gormick says the officer entered the building and allegedly pulled several people out. Nobody was hurt.
The crews arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the rear of the residence. They managed to knock the fire down, but there was a partial collapse of the structure at the rear.
“We had to take extra caution in ensuring out staff’s safety,” said Gormick.
Crews did a thorough search of the building and found no one inside. Gormick says they are not sure at this point how many fire victims were involved, but the owner of the home told Global News nine people reside in the house.
It’s not clear what caused the fire.
Gormick says the building suffered fairly extensive damage as the back is partially collapsed.
Knight Street was blocked in both directions because of the fire this morning. It has now been re-opened.