A Vancouver Police Department sergeant is being hailed as a hero after rescuing a man from a smoky early-morning fire in a historic Downtown Eastside rooming house.
Quick Action in the Early Hours
According to VPD spokesperson Const. Darren Wong, the incident occurred around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. A sergeant on patrol in the East Hastings Street area was flagged down in front of the Dodson Rooms, a single-room occupancy hotel. Upon learning of a fire inside, the officer immediately sprang into action.
The sergeant grabbed a fire extinguisher from his patrol car, entered the building, and rushed to a second-floor suite that was already filling with dense smoke from a burning mattress.
A Dangerous Rescue
"After extinguishing the fire, the officer pulled an unresponsive man from the smoke-filled room," Const. Wong reported. The situation was perilous, and the sergeant himself began to be overcome by smoke. Two other VPD officers then assisted both the rescuer and the victim to safety.
The rescued man received immediate treatment at the scene from personnel with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) and the B.C. Ambulance Service. He was subsequently transported to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
The police sergeant was treated for smoke inhalation and is now recovering at home.
Historic Building and Broader Context
The Dodson Rooms building was constructed in 1907, making it 116 years old at the time of the fire. It contains 71 rooms that provide housing for people at risk of homelessness. The building is managed by the Community Builders Benevolence Society, a non-profit agency that operates social housing on behalf of the government.
VFRS Chief Karen Fry praised the officer's decisive actions, stating they "definitely led to a positive outcome for this resident." Preliminary investigation suggests the mattress fire was caused by a torch lighter.
According to available records, the Community Builders Benevolence Society manages 15 buildings. In its last financial year, the agency received approximately $28 million in funding. Of that total, 66 percent was allocated to pay for 211 workers, while its chief executive earned a salary in the range of $250,000 to $300,000.
