Fire at Vancouver social housing highrise sends 5 to hospital for smoke inhalation

firefighters were called to a blaze at a downtown high rise on March 11, 2025.

Five residents of a Vancouver highrise housing mainly low-income seniors were treated for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in one of the units Tuesday afternoon, according to officials.

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services spokesperson Capt. Matthew Trudeau said crews were called to the building on Nelson Street around 2:40 p.m. and found “heavy fire” on arrival. The blaze broke out in a seventh-floor unit and the flames were contained to the suite – which was unoccupied at the time.

Most residents of the building are seniors, which meant a lot of resources were mustered in order to see to their safety. Twenty-one “apparatus” and nearly 50 firefighters were deployed to the scene, Trudeau said.

“We did have a large number of people requiring assistance from the upper floors,” he said.

“As crews were going up, we had a number of calls from dozens of residents yelling and screaming for help.”

The residents most at risk were evacuated – some being carried out by crews, while others were advised to shelter in place while the fire was being knocked down.

BC Emergency Health Services told CTV News that paramedics assessed 15 patients at the scene before transporting five to hospital in stable condition. VFRS said five people were treated for smoke inhalation and two were transported to hospital. CTV News has asked for clarification on the number.

The 220-unit, 20-storey building, is operated by the non-profit Bloom Group. It provides affordable units to low-income people at risk of homelessness, prioritizing people over 55.

Trudeau said the building has sprinklers in the basement and on the first floor, but not on the higher levels.

Smoke and water damage will impact a “large number of units,” Trudeau said. In total, 42 residents have been displaced.

“After search operations were completed, firefighters returned to multiple units to help gather pets and personal belongings for residents who were displaced,” a statement from VFRS said.

The cause of the blaze has not been determined.