Fire chief says blaze in Burnaby, B.C., highrise injures 15, three seriously

BURNABY, B.C. – A fire in a highrise in the Metro Vancouver suburb of Burnaby has sent 15 to hospital, three of them with serious injuries. 

Fire Chief Ian Hetherington says about four dozen firefighters responded to the blaze early Thursday in a 19-storey cement building and found the fourth floor full of heavy smoke. 

The chief says crews had to evacuate the entire building and rescue multiple patients or victims from three floors. 

He says those who are badly hurt had burns and smoke inhalation, while most others sent to hospital were also being treated for breathing in smoke.

Hetherington says the firefighting conditions were difficult. 

The chief says there were some lithium-ion batteries for scooters and e-bikes in the suite where the fire started, making the blaze complex to fight, although it’s unclear what caused the fire. 

(1130 NewsRadio)

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2025.