Value Village store in East Vancouver ‘fully engulfed’ by fire on Wednesday

Multiple fire crews responded to a fire at the Value Village near Hastings Street and Victoria Drive in Vancouver, late night on June 29. (Liam Britten/CBC – image credit)

A large fire erupted at a Value Village store at the intersection of Victoria Drive and East Hastings Street in Vancouver, engulfing the store in flames late Wednesday night.

Brad Hesse, assistant chief of operations with the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, told CBC News the fire broke out after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“Crews arrived to find the building fully engulfed, with flames coming out of the window onto the front street,” he said.

As of 11:30 p.m. PT, Hesse said 90 per cent of the fire had been extinguished by nearly 50 firefighters.

No injuries or missing people were reported, according to Hesse.

Liam Britten/CBC

“The fire damage is contained to the building itself. But surrounding buildings have sustained some smoke and heat damage,” he said.

“Crews did a great job getting water on it … but unfortunately, the building was already fully involved, so very tough to save much over there.”

A witness told CBC News that they “could feel the heat from across the alley” near the Value Village store.

Liam Britten/CBC

Hesse said that streets around the intersection, which borders the busy Commercial Drive, are likely to remain closed for most of Wednesday night as crews clean up and fire investigators arrive.

The cause of Wednesday night’s fire has not yet been determined.