Vancouver firefighters scramble to extinguish intense fire on Broadway between Manitoba and Columbia - Action News
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British Columbia

Vancouver firefighters scramble to extinguish intense fire on Broadway between Manitoba and Columbia

A mixed residential and commercial space has been completely destroyed in an area know for shops and restaurants after a fire broke out around 10 p.m. PT on Sunday. No on was injured in the fire and firefighters managed to save the two buildings beside the one that burned.

Dozens of onlookers capture images, videos of dramatic blaze in area known for shops, restaurants

The fire broke out sometime after 10 p.m. PT on Sunday Oct. 15, 2017. (Ariane Fleischmann)

Images and videos online show Vancouver firefighters battling an intense blaze on Sunday night along Broadway between Columbia and Manitoba Streets.

Officials on the scene said there were noinjuries related to the fire but have not yet saidwhat caused it. It is under investigation.

Firefighters say the fire was in a three-storey, multi-residential and commercial space and that the structure isdestroyed. There were three occupants living on the top floor of the building.

"The fire was through the roof upon arrival," said Brian Godlonton, a deputy chief with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services.

He also said two vehicles caught on fire that were behind the structure.

"It was a pretty tough fire," he said.

The African Art and Drums shop as it appears on Google Streetview. Across the street from the store is Vancouver's MEC store. (Google Streetview)

On the bottom level of the building wastheAfrican Arts and Drums store, which is to the west of Martini's Restaurant at 151 West Broadway.

Godlontonsaid the two neighbouring buildings were not damaged.

"So it was a really good save," he said about the quick response from firefighters.

Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze by around 11 p.m. PT on Sunday Oct. 15, 2017. They say the structure is a loss. (Jon Hernandez/CBC)

'Good citizen'

One person who stopped to call 911 about the blaze was the Vancouver Whitecaps teenaged starAlphonsoDavies, who hours earlier had played a game at B.C. Place.

"The first thing I did as a good citizen, I called 911 and in minutes they were here quick," he said. "And I'm glad that they got the situation under control."

Watch more about what Davies had to say about coming across the blaze:

Vancouver Whitecap Alphonso Davies describes Broadway blaze

7 years ago
Duration 0:45
The teenaged soccer star was one of the first people to call 911 about the dramatic blaze.

Power was knocked out on the entire block, while firefighters closed off Broadway around the property that was burning.

Godlonton said at one point up to 10,000 customers lost power in the area.

One woman in the area, Karen Quinn Fung, tweeted that she saw a transformer blow before the fire started.

By 11 p.m. PT it appeared that firefighters had managed to extinguish the fire. Godlonton said crews would remain through the night at the scene.

with files from Jon Hernandez.