1 dead after fire in vacant Burnaby apartment building
The man, whom firefighters located inside the building, died on the way to the hospital: Burnaby Fire
One man is dead after a fire broke out in a vacant apartment building in Burnaby Tuesday evening, according to officials.
Firefighters responded to a fire at an unoccupied, boarded-up three-storey building at 4330 Maywood St., surrounded by security fencing around 9:15 p.m. PT on Tuesday, according to Paul Rushton, public information officer with the Burnaby Fire Department.
Rushton said firefighters rescued a woman from a third-floor balcony.
A man was located inside and then taken out of the building, Rushton said.
"It was quite hazardous for our firefighters while they were conducting the inside investigation and search," he said.
While first responders on the scene attempted lifesaving efforts, the man died en route to the hospital.
B.C. Emergency Health Services said it responded with three ambulances and took two people to the hospital, one in critical condition.
The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed in a statement to CBC that a death resulted from this incident.
Burnaby RCMP also responded to assist with traffic. It said the B.C. Coroners Service is currently investigating.
"It's very sad," said Rushton. "Being that it was boarded up and had security fencing around, it should have been unoccupied."
The previous tenants of the low-rise apartment building had been ordered to move out by August 2022 by the owner, according to a statement from the City of Burnaby.
It said the building's developer informed the city it would be unable to pay rental top-ups for the evicted tenants, which is the city's policy when tenants are displaced due to major redevelopment or renovation.
"It's our understanding that the property is now for sale. Any new owner will be advised of their continued obligations to the former tenants under our tenant assistance policy," said the statement.
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With files from Charis Hogg