Locals said they would miss a second-hand clothing store that had been a neighborhood fixture for decades. Fire officials said the cause of the fire is unknown, but Arson cannot be ruled out yet
Cleanup to identify the cause of the fire that destroyed the value According to the Investigation Fire Department, a used clothing store in the village of East Hastings Street was put on hold because the water used to extinguish the fire was flooding underground.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but "all possible," said Brian Bertuzzi, assistant chief of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services.
"It may be a coincidence, it may be Arson. There is nothing off the table."
Bertuzzi, the crew went this week to pump water, and then He said he would bring in a heavy machine to break the wall.
"They (investigators) cannot enter due to dangerous conditions and complete flooding of the basement," he said. "Now we are waiting for stability."
A fire broke out after 10 pm. Smoke was seen and smelled for several kilometers on Wednesday. Bertuzzi said more than 50 firefighters fought the flames and about 12 fire trucks participated in the fire with three alarms.
No one was killed or injured in the flames.
On Friday, the only remaining 1800 blocks on East Hastings Street were the outer walls of the burnt blocks, including those facing east. It was almost completely intact, and I could still see the "Value Village" drawn in red letters on a large block at the top.
The front facade was gone and some supporting steel girders stood. Burnt wooden boards, twisted metal, parts of metal shelf units, and huge building air conditioning units were piled up over a meter on the floor.
Deb Beaudreau and Rich Talmey, who lived nearby and came to the scene on Wednesday night, returned to check the ruins on Friday. They said they would miss a store that had been part of the East Vancouver area for decades.
"We loved going to costumed events and came here to get what we were wearing, such as a last-minute table cloth. It was a great place to put it in, "said Baudrow.
"I bought two sets of shorts for $ 10 just six days ago."
She found her favorite discovery in Lynx, which she bought for $ 30 in 2009. He said he was a fake fur coat and still wears it.
"We provide employee support services for those who want to participate, and we are looking for short-term and long-term employment opportunities for team members affected by other Value Village stores." The company's spokeswoman Sarah Goggles said. E-mail.
She also said that Value Village is working with fire authorities in the investigation. , Say early if the store that said it was will be rebuilt.
Started in San Francisco in 1954, Value Village is a used clothing store business that pays non-profit organizations that donate goods to stores, but stores go to charitable organizations.
The site was fenced over the weekend. Around the back, there was still a small black hatchback in the parking lot behind the store, with some burnt boards on the hood. A cardboard box full of clothes was sitting in a blue temporary enclosure near the back lane.
The vinyl clad of the multi-family unit, which shared the back lane with the store, appeared to melt and buckle in one area. Some homes were temporarily evacuated on Wednesday.
Bertuzzi visited the scene on Friday morning. "They (firefighters) seem to have done a great job of containing it," he said.
There was a lot of used cars in the east, and dozens of cars for sale remained covered in soot.
To the west, the Bethany Indonesian Church did not appear to be affected by the fire. However, half a dozen building restoration trucks were parked outside, and workers inside were cleaning their chairs and floors.
slazaruk@postmedia.com
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