Tenant dies in Richmond apartment fire

A tenant is dead and dozens of others are seeking temporary shelter following the third apartment fire in three weeks in the Lower Mainland.

An unidentified man died Saturday in hospital after he was rescued from a balcony at a Richmond apartment in the 8500 block of Westminster Highway around 2 a.m. local time.

The more than 30 firefighters who fought the blaze "had to rescue a number of residents off their balconies," Richmond official Ted Townsend told CBC News.

"Unfortunately, we have had one fatality as a result of this fire. BC Ambulance also treated about 10 residents on site for a variety of health injuries and an undetermined number of those were taken to hospital. I don't believe those were anything serious."

Townsend said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire, adding the building sustained extensive damage.

Residents of the complex and the two neighbouring apartment buildings have been asked to leave.

An emergency reception centre has been set up for them at the Vancouver Airport Hilton.

Apartment buildings have been vulnerable to fires in recent weeks.

Children were credited with sounding the alarm in an apartment fire in neighbouring Delta on July 27. And an apartment fire in New Westminster on July 24 left several tenants homeless.

There were no injuries reported in those fires.