Cigarette caused fire that destroyed 3 homes in East Vancouver, fire department says

A cigarette was responsible for a fire that destroyed three homes and displaced nearly a dozen people in Vancouver's Strathcona neighbourhood earlier this month, the city's fire department says.

In a post on X, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services wrote the Oct. 7fire was "the result of a carelessly discarded cigarette at the rear of the property."

The serviceadded a reminder that smoking materials should only be put out in a metal container of water or sand and never off of balconies, out of car windows or around vegetation.

VFRSsaid it responded to reports of the fire on the 1000-block of Pender Streetjust after 8 p.m. PT.

Fire Chief Karen Fry said at the time that the fire started outside one of the homes andquickly spread to the surrounding buildings.

Footage of the flames showed themreaching about 30metres in the air. Eleven people were affected, VFRS said.

"This is a tragedy in our city. To lose housing and to have people displaced is heartbreaking and it puts a real pressure on our community," Fry said.

Alongside the homes that were destroyed, another had smoke damage, VFRS said.