Firefighter, building resident taken to hospital after blaze in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

Dozens of first respondersattended a residential fire in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside that sent a resident and a firefighter to hospital on Wednesday morning.

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services spokesperson Matthew Trudeau said crews were called just after 11 a.m. PT to a single-room occupancy (SRO) building near East Cordova and Columbia streets.

He said 12-14 fire trucks responded and crews arrived to find smoke billowing out of an upper floor.

"We got crews upstairs really quickly with hose lines, contained the fire, knocked it down thankfully, pretty quickly," Trudeau said.

"There is a large amount of smoke damage and we're just making sure nothing's extended beyond that area of origin.

"We got additional units here really quick to assist with getting an evacuation and getting water on that fire really quick."

Trudeau said one resident of the SRO was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. He said that person was "alert and talking" when paramedics took over their care.

A firefighter with a lower leg injury was also taken to hospital, Trudeau added.

B.C. Emergency Health Services confirmed two patients were taken to hospital. Three ambulances, a paramedic bike squad and a supervisor were on scene.

The fire appeared to be extinguished by about noon.The streets around the building were closed temporarily because of the blaze.

Trudeau said investigators are still looking into what might have caused the fire.