Date of publication: June 11, 2022 • 55 minutes ago • 3 minutes of reading • Join the discussion Photo archive of a fire truck. Police and firefighters are investigating a deadly fire in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside early Saturday. Photo by Jason Payne / PNG
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A male occupant died after an e-bike battery exploded, falling from his window in Downtown Eastside on Saturday morning, officials said.
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Trevor Connelly, deputy head of rescue operations at Vancouver Fire Department, said the fire broke out around 7 a.m. on the second floor of the Empress Hotel, located 230-square East Hastings Street. “The hotel’s sprinkler system went out, which reduced the fire in the room, but the explosion damaged the building,” Connelly said. Twenty-five crew members were sent to deal with the fire. One of them found the body of the 32-year-old in the alley next to the hotel. “It appears the man was sitting near the ledge of the room window and the explosion caused him to fall,” Connelly said. One person died after a fire at the Empress Hotel SRO in East Hastings at DTES early Saturday morning. The incident is under investigation. (Photo by Jason Payne / PNG) Photo by Jason Payne / PNG Police confirmed that two others were injured in the blast. Hotel owner Christopher Wall said that when he arrived at the scene after the incident, building staff told him the occupant may have jumped out of a window.
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“However, judging by the broken glass in the alley below, it seems that he had to go out the window.” Empress residents are not allowed to store bicycles or batteries in their rooms, Wall said. “It’s very sad, the male occupant was instructed not to have his e-bike or his battery in his room. He did not listen to our advice. “ Christopher Wall, owner of Hotel Empress, poses for a photo inside the Empress Bar in Vancouver, BC, November 9, 2021. (Richard Lam / PNG) Photo by RICHARD LAM / PNG While 24-hour on-site security works closely with the city to conduct on-site inspections of the Empress’s rooms, the owner admitted: “It is difficult to know exactly what has been introduced.” City engineers confirm that the damage to the 76-room single-room hotel was not structural, Wall said. “This means that we will be able to bring the tenants back to the third floor almost immediately.”
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Arrangements have been made for accommodation in a night shelter for 13 residents of the second floor who were displaced by the fire. Wall plans to use dehumidifiers to deal with water damage on the second floor. “We booked repairs for the first time on Monday morning. “Once the damage to the wall of the room is repaired, the occupants of the second floor will be able to return.” Hours after the blast, Vancouver resident Sherry Hill was concerned about the condition of her brother and uncle, who are renting rooms at the hotel. “My mom, who lives nearby, just went to check on them,” Hill told Postmedia News on Saturday afternoon. She later confirmed that her uncle was living in a room next to the one that was shocked by the explosion. “My brother is safe with my mom now,” he said.
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Preliminary investigation data show that the battery of the e-bicycle, which is considered a possible cause of the fire, was being charged at the time of the explosion. “The fire had nothing to do with the building’s infrastructure, but the battery itself,” the official said, confirming that Vancouver crews had seen fires ignite for similar reasons. “We are continuing the investigation.” As electrical circuits become more popular in North America, concerns have been raised about the fire risk associated with lithium batteries used to charge them. In April, North Vancouver crews were called in to put out a fire in a home that was lit by the malfunction. In October, Consumer Reports found that 75 e-bicycle fires broke out in New York last year alone, causing 72 injuries and three deaths. The city fire department issued a warning on social media: “If you use a lithium battery, always use the manufacturer’s cable and the power supply that was made specifically for the device. If a battery overheats, discontinue use immediately. “ [email protected] More news, fewer ads: Our in-depth journalism is possible thanks to the support of our subscribers. For just $ 3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us with your registration today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.
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