A body was found during the demolition of a mixed-use building in Vancouver’s Gastown neighborhood, firefighters said.
The Winters Hotel, whose upper floors were used as low-income housing, was considered dangerous after a fire earlier this month.
The demolition of the building began on Thursday, and firefighters confirmed the discovery on Friday.
It is not clear whether the unidentified person died in the fire or in the demolition.
A day after the April 11 fire, authorities confirmed that no one living in the single-room hotel was unknown, but the damage made it unsafe for firefighters to search parts of the building.
Buildings are usually searched twice for occupants, firefighters said, but in this case the risk is so great that firefighters did not have access to areas on the second floor and above. These were the residential floors of the building.
In the days before its demolition, police were on the scene, trying to prevent residents from trying to regain possession, but some people managed to get through the barricades.
At least one person was seen coming down from the upper floors of the building, despite signs and warnings that entry was unsafe.
In a statement from the city, the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Service said only that the body was found during the demolition. Firefighters did not say where he was.
They did say that they meant that it was possible that someone was inside and that the investigators and the demolition team were cautious for that reason.
On Thursday, it was reported that the cause of the fire, which displaced dozens of vulnerable residents, was considered accidental.
The investigation revealed that it was caused by unnoticed candles in a block on the second floor, officials said.
The demolition, delayed by residents trying to get inside and by the process of approving the city’s plan, was halted again as a result of the discovery.
It will resume when the BC Coroners Service allows it.
This is current news. More information is forthcoming.
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