Vancouver apartment fire kills one, injures another

A fire at an apartment building in Vancouver’s Harney Heights neighborhood Tuesday night resulted in the death of one man and injured another.

The fire was reported at 6:58 p.m. at 3701 1/2 E. 18th St., Date Park Condominiums.

Several 911 callers reported there was a fire at the two-story, five-unit building; one of the callers said there was an explosion, and some of the apartments’ occupants were trapped inside, said Vancouver Fire Department spokesman Bryan Fredrickson.

Responding crews reported light illuminating from the area of the blaze, and the fire department activated a second alarm, said Fredrickson. That set in motion the deployment of 12 additional units from the fire department and a single backup unit from Clark County Fire District 6.

The first arriving crews found flames billowing from the front of the building. They pulled water hoses and began aggressively attacking the fire. A ladder truck arrived and initiated a search of the building, said Fredrickson.

A victim was found in a second-floor apartment. He was removed from the building and taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. Then, a second victim was located in a first-floor apartment, already deceased.

Officials have not identified or provided ages for the victims. The name of the man who died, along with his cause and manner of death, will be released by the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The fire was under control in about 12 minutes. Crews deployed by the second alarm remained on standby and were not needed during extinguishment.

A Vancouver fire marshal and the Vancouver Police Department are investigating the cause of the fatal fire.

Detectives with the police department’s Major Crime Unit are involved due to the death, said spokeswoman Kim Kapp.

Four of the five units were heavily damaged by a combination of fire, smoke and water, according to VFD. The building was deemed uninhabitable.

The Red Cross responded to provide aid to multiple families.