Burnaby apartment fire kills 57-year-old man

A 57-year-old man is deadafter an apartment fire in Burnaby,early Saturday morning.

The fire began around 12:30a.m. ata16-storey high-rise in a B.C. Housing complex at7264Kingsway.

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Acting AssistantChief Gavin Summers said theBurnabyFire Departmentreceivedmultiplecalls about the fire, which was eventually upgraded to a third alarm, drawing more than 40 firefighters.

"Upon arrival, they found fire, smokeemanatingfrom the second floor of this high-rise," said Summers.

Aaron Busch, who lives on the second floor,said he was sleeping when the alarms woke him up.

"And then I get aknockon the door and the entire hallwaywas covered in thick fogor smoke," said Busch.

Summers said crewsmade quick work of the fire, once it was located.

"They found the suite 202 the fire was confined to that suite. They went in and they found one victim at that location," said Summers.

Fire mostly around the bed area

Summers said the 57-year-oldwas found unresponsive inside a studio apartment, with the fire mostly damaging the areaaround the bed.

Another suite was lightly damaged by smoke, and there was water damage caused by the fire hoses, according to Summers.

RCMP Insp. Annette Fellner said the incident was still under investigation, and few details wereknown, early Saturday.

"It's too early for me to comment on what caused the person's death," said Fellner.

Summers confirmed that the death was a result of the fire, but wouldn't go into details.

"I can't confirm whether or not alarms were sounding in that suite or smoke detectors were activated," said Summers.

"We'll be working with fire to determine if it's suspicious, or if it wasanaccidental fire, and of course thecoroner has been called in as well," said Fellner.

Fatal fires 'not uncommon' in Burnaby

Summers said fires in Burnabythat result in death happen from time to time.

"It's not rare at all; we usually have one or two deaths a year. It's not uncommon," he said, adding that it's an additional stress on fire crews.

"Any time we have a death, it's difficult for the firefighters, of course, yeah. It's an unpleasant thing to see, but we have a process in place to look after them that way. We have support systems in place."