‘A ticking time bomb’: Vancouver fire chief supports removal of tents next to buildings

In the wake of Wednesday’s mass eviction of tents and encampments on East Hastings Street, Vancouver Fire Rescue Service’s chief said the fire department supports the city’s decision to remove the structures.

Karen Fry said the ongoing situation of tents and structures next to buildings has created a “whole different risk factor.”

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“The potential impact of a hundred-pound propane tank exploding boggles my mind. It can be catastrophic if it were to explode in an area like that,” she told Global News Thursday morning.

“It’s a ticking time bomb right now…. Something devastating is going to happen and we are going to lose an entire building and lives.”

Since August of 2022, the fire department said it has removed more than 1,600 propane tanks from the area, and Wednesday alone nearly 50 tanks were removed from East Hastings Street.

Tents and structures also create another hazard for firefighters, as they can block the department from fighting fires during emergencies.

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An example of that, according to the fire chief, was a blaze inside an SRO suite on March 31.

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services’ assistant fire chief Ken Gemmill said it was “a gong show” when firefighters arrived at the SRO fire.

When firefighters arrived, Gemmill said several people living in tents and structures out front refused to move.

Firefighters had to call Vancouver police for assistance and had to be extremely careful not to soak or injure the people while battling the blaze.

One bystander witnessed some of the action from the street.

“I saw fire and debris melting, glass falling from the window and a guy was standing under it. Someone grabbed him and threw him out of the way,” Micheal Dunford said.

“He had no clue that there was fire falling on his head. It was pretty crazy.”

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On Thursday, the City of Vancouver and Vancouver police continued their work clearing tents and encampments along East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside.

The work periodically shut down portions of East Hasting Street as crews worked to clear sidewalks.

Police said East Hastings Street between Gore Avenue and Main Street has been reopened for traffic.