3-alarm fire breaks out at Vancouver Street Church previously targeted by arson

Vancouver firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire at a Downtown Eastside building Tuesday that has been the site of three recent blazes.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says it was called to the the former Vancouver Street Church at 169 East Hastings Street around noon, to reports of smoke coming from the building.

Crews closed the street to traffic between Main and Columbia streets, and urged drivers to avoid the area.

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Officials have yet to report any injuries or missing people.

The Vancouver Street Church was founded in 1993. It provided outreach services to community members.

0:56 Arson suspected in fire that destroyed Downtown Eastside church, police say

The building was boarded up at the time of Tuesday’s fire, owing to another fire in July.

That fire injured one person and gutted the Street Church and an adjacent two-storey building, but crews were able to stop the flames from spreading into the adjacent and also-shuttered Balmoral Hotel.

The July fire, which official said started in the back of the building, is being investigated as an arson.