Another 10 people are out of their home after fire ripped through a house in Moodyville early Monday morning.
Multiple 911 calls came in from the 600 block of East Second Street just after 5 a.m.
“Our crews were advised on route that the home was on fire and it seemed to be getting worse,” said assistant fire chief Jason de Roy with the North Vancouver City Fire Department.
All of the home’s residents, from suites on the main floor and the basement, were out safe and fire crews turned their attention to the blaze, de Roy said.
District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services members met them at the scene and the two crews trained their hoses on the blaze from the outside. When it was safe, de Roy said they sent members in to finish the job.
“The fire was quite involved even before crews arrived. And then due to the fire, the smoke and the water, there is extensive damage to the home,” he said.
Investigators remain on the scene looking to get an idea of the cause, de Roy said, though it appears the fire was concentrated on the front side of the house and in the basement.
“They’re just in the beginning stages,” de Roy said.
As of Monday afternoon, the home’s residents – six from upstairs and four from downstairs – were being connected with emergency social services and North Shore Emergency Management staff were also meeting with the residents to determine what longer-term supports they’ll be needing. It’s not known whether the residents had insurance, de Roy said.
It’s the second fire in a week that has resulted in major displacement of residents. North Vancouver City Fire Department investigators are still working to determine what caused an apartment blaze on 12th St. East that left more than 100 residents out of their homes.
“It’s never a good time to have a fire but, just before Christmas, of course we definitely feel for those who are displaced We know they’re in good hands with emergency social services who provide a great support, but it is unfortunately, not a great time of year to see people out.”
On Monday afternoon, North Shore Emergency Management Director Emily Dicken said they have been making some progress, at least for the short-term, for eight residents.
“They are going to be receiving supports all the way through the holidays for food, clothing and lodging until Jan. 5, at which time we'll be working with the province and other community service providers to help them navigate towards getting a new home,” she said. “But right now, it's just about taking care of the immediate needs and making sure that they have somewhere safe to land.”
The exact number of people displaced is still being confirmed as not everyone in the home was living there permanently, but Dicken said people affected by the fire are mostly in their mid-20s to early-30s, living as roommates.
Currently, there isn’t any fundraising initiative to help those burned out by the fire, but Dicken said if there is anyone who has either empty suites or rooms they’d be willing to rent out, they should contact North Shore Emergency Management.
“We need to find these people homes. That’s the one major gap we have in our services and supports,” she said.
