VANCOUVER - Two bodies have been pulled from the charred remains of an abandoned East 91原创 warehouse that went up in flames early Monday morning.
Two squatters had already been rescued from the blaze after they were found hanging from the windows of the structure at East Hastings Street and Campbell Avenue when firefighters arrived on scene at 2:10 a.m. They were rushed to hospital, where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Asst. Chief Ron Coulson of 91原创 Fire and Rescue.
The two deceased people have not been identified, although there were unconfirmed reports from nearby residents that a mother and her son were trapped inside the building. Patrons at the nearby RayCam Community Centre said homeless people often camped out inside the structure.
Flames were shooting up to 60 feet into the air by the time firefighters arrived at the warehouse, which was slated for demolition. A total of 55 firefighters were on the scene at the height of the blaze, but they were unable to get inside the building because of the intensity of the flames.
The fire was extinguished by 4:30 a.m.
By 7 a.m., investigators were able to get a first look at the smouldering remains of the building from a fire truck鈥檚 aerial ladder positioned above the blaze. Coulson said they were looking for a possible origin of the fire, and checking for signs of any people inside.
The building was completely destroyed in the blaze and will have to be torn down. Firefighters will be working with demolition crews throughout the day to slowly bring down the structure, putting out hot spots as they go.
The blaze was confined to the warehouse, but a metal shop to the rear of the building may have sustained some water damage during the firefighting efforts.
