Landlords of gutted Vancouver apartment building appear in court over previous fire code offences

The landlords of the Vancouver apartment block that caught fire in late July, displacing more than 70 residents and sending five people to hospital, appeared in provincial court Tuesday morning over previous fire bylaw infractions at the building.

A property title search of the building at 414 E. 10th Ave. lists the owners as Fu Ren and his wife Feng Yan, who both have a long history of bylaw infringements with the City of Vancouver.

In 2021, Ren was taken to court over five fire bylaw charges pertaining to the Mount Pleasant address. He pleaded guilty and was fined $13,000, according to the Vancouver provincial court registry.

Earlier this year, the couple was charged with 20 separate counts under the fire bylaw. Tuesday's court appearance was related to these charges, which include failure to maintain the fire alarm/voice system and failure to inspect, test and maintain the fire protection system at 414 E. 10th Ave. 

In court, counsel for the City of Vancouver asked for a two-week delay to review documents Ren sent late Monday evening that he claims prove he had taken steps to address fire code offences.

Vancouver's fire department says it has now recommended further charges against Ren and Yan over fire code infractions found during its investigation of the July fire.

Ahead of the couple's court date Tuesday, displaced residents painted a picture of a building that was left to decay.

'He just let it get run down'

Greg Taylor lived in the building for more than three years. His unit and most of his belongings, including personal mementos, were destroyed in the fire. He also lost his cat.

"It's pretty traumatizing," said Taylor.

He says there were constant issues at the building, including frequent leaks, mould, an elevator that broke down multiple times a year and a backdoor that was often barred shut.

He also said the building's fire alarm would go off so frequently — a couple of times every month — that residents simply became used to it.

When the building needed repairs, Taylor says Ren neglected to do it.

"Every time I told him I had a problem, he said 'If you don't like it, you can move'," said Taylor.

"That was his answer for everything."

'Piecemeal fixing'

The fire in July erupted the day before Valerie Delair's 60th birthday. 

"I'll never forget this birthday. [But] I don't want to remember it," said Delair, who says she moved into the building in 2016.

Initially, she was happy to find an affordable space that allowed pets. She owns a pair of chihuahuas.

But she says she soon regretted her decision. She says there were often mice, rats and roaches and her apartment also had a leak and mould. She claims Ren took forever to fix it.

"It was just piecemeal fixing," she said. "He could have kept this building, made it beautiful. He just let it get run down."

A decade ago, another apartment building owned by Ren and Yan in Burnaby, B.C., caught fire for a second time in four years. The building was gutted and more than 100 people were left without a home. 

According to the land title, the couple still owns the Burnaby lot.

WATCH | Scenes from the Burnaby fire in 2013:

Burnaby apartment fire

12 years ago

Duration 2:29

At least 100 people are homeless after a fire tore through a Burnaby, B.C., apartment building

After his court appearance Tuesday, Ren told CBC News that he believes the charges against him are false and he intends to prove it with photographs of the building.

He also claims the fire department never told him about the fire bylaw violations.

Fire service recommends charges

Investigators concluded the fire in July was accidental, sparked by a candle.

But they also found some fire codes had allegedly not been followed in the building.

Ultimately, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (VFRS) recommended the owner be prosecuted for the bylaw offences — a move that's "not that common," said Trevor Connelly, the service's deputy chief of operations.

"Our preferred method is obviously to identify the infractions and inform the building owner or the building manager and work with that party to correct those infractions through education and other means. And most people are very willing to do that," he said.

Connelly said he was unable to elaborate on what type of fire codes weren't followed as the case is going before the courts.

However, he did confirm the three-storey building had no sprinklers except in the parkade. In British Columbia, buildings of three storeys or less are not required to install sprinkler systems. Since 1998, new residential buildings over three storeys are required to have sprinklers.

The City of Vancouver is providing emergency support for the displaced residents, including accommodation, food and clothing. It recently extended its support until Aug. 23, at which point, residents will need to move on.

Taylor's already viewed 16 apartments but says they are way more expensive than what he was previously paying. 

Now, he worries that he will have nowhere else to go.

"We might be going from [this hotel] to the street," he said.