Residents safe but displaced after fire rips through North Vancouver building

Residents of a 65-unit building in North Vancouver are safe but displaced after flames broke out early Tuesday morning.

All three fire departments across the North Shore responded to the fire at 377 East 12 St, which began around 6 a.m., according to City of North Vancouver Fire Chief Craig Schalk.

“We encountered heavy smoke and fire on all three floors of the building,” he told Global News.

“The fire did spread into the attic space, the roof space, and crews were able to, through good efforts, contain the fire.”

One of the displaced residents, Steve Fuhrmann, described the fire as “pretty serious.”

“Our cat booted out the window, we can’t find our cat now — Pepsi — but hopefully she’s okay,” he said in an interview.

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“It was pretty crazy, everybody moving their cars out of there, the windows exploding from the fire.”

Fuhrmann said the fire began on one end of the building and went up the walls.

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Jayden Gonzales, who has lived in the building for more than a year, said he woke up to the sound of alarms at 5:30 a.m., and thought it was a “fluke.” Then he heard screams to “get out” of the building.

“We saw the smoke climbing out of the top floor and it was spreading from room to room,” he described. “When we came back, we were told we weren’t allowed back in. We’re just hoping to get back into our suites so we can get our stuff and try and figure out what’s the next step.”

Gonzales said he was optimistic residents would be able to return soon, but is worried he won’t be able to carry out all the Christmas presents he bought. In the meantime, residents have been fed and reassured, he added.

Schalk said the cause of the fire is unknown but residents of all 65 suites have been evacuated and brought to a hotel.

Some were allowed back in briefly during the afternoon to grab essential items, he added.

The reception centre for displaced residents is at 147 East 14 St.