Crews fight fire in downtown Vancouver as smoke spreads across city

Downtown Vancouver fire

Photo: The Canadian Press

Firefighters are shown fighting a large blaze in Vancouver in this Wednesday, April 23, 2025 handout photo.  

Firefighters are fighting a large blaze in downtown Vancouver that's sending a smoky haze and the smell of smoke across the city.

An assistant fire chief with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services says crews responded just before 4 a.m. to the 2200 block of East Hastings Street, between Garden Drive and Nanaimo Street.

Keith Stewart says more than 40 firefighters are on scene.

Photos posted by the department on social media show a large plume of dark smoke billowing upward and firefighters, some laying on the ground, aiming hoses at the smoke.

East Hastings Street is closed in both directions from Nanaimo Street to Lakewood Drive, and Stewart says drivers should anticipate delays as crews are expected to remain at the scene for most of the day.

He says there have been no injuries and the department has not yet determined how the fire began, but at least two buildings have been lost.

"We're also doing our best because there's a third building that's attached to the other one, and we've been protecting that building for almost two hours now. And we're doing a good job, but that's where we're at," Stewart said in an interview.

In a social media post, the department said it had been getting calls about the smell of smoke from across the city and is advising people to keep their windows and doors closed if possible.