Central Vancouver apartment building evacuated, burns following report of agitated person

The Vancouver Fire Department says a call for an agitated person Friday evening escalated into a fire response and evacuation at an apartment building in Vancouver’s Bagley Downs neighborhood.

The fire department responded at about 5:20 p.m. to the Fox Pointe Apartments, 3073 N.E. 57th Ave.

An advanced life support fire engine responded along with Vancouver police and AMR. However, while en route, reports came in that smoke was coming from the apartment where the disturbance was reported, according to a fire department news release. The call was upgraded to a full structural response.

Fire units staged while police assessed the situation. But as the fire grew, firefighters had to enter the apartment building to help evacuate neighboring residents and control the blaze while the agitated person was still inside their apartment, the fire department said.

Firefighters stayed while police talked with the agitated person, the fire department said, and were on scene for more than five hours.

At the height of the response, there were 11 units with 32 personnel, the fire department said.