Vancouver driver arrested after truck splits in half, catches fire

Vancouver police arrested a 34-year-old pickup truck driver after his vehicle crashed into a building, split in half and burst into flames near Renfrew Street and East 22nd Avenue, the Vancouver Police Department said. The driver was arrested for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and impaired operation of a motor vehicle, and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date, police said.¹

Officers served the driver with a Notice of Driving Prohibition for 90 days, a document that bars a person from driving for a set period, according to the department. The truck's driver and passenger were taken to hospital. No injuries were reported by people in the other vehicle or in the nearby building, police said.¹

What police say happened

On Friday around 1:30 a.m., a witness at Renfrew Street and East 22nd Avenue stated his vehicle was struck by a grey GMC Sierra travelling southbound, the department said. The truck then veered off the roadway and collided with a nearby nursing home, police said. Responding officers found the wreckage fully engulfed in flames.¹

Ambulance and Vancouver Fire Rescue Service also responded, according to the department. The GMC Sierra wreckage was seized as part of the investigation, which remains ongoing, police said.¹

What to do if you have information

Anyone with information is asked to call the Vancouver Police Department Collision Investigation Unit at 604-717-3012 or email vpdciu@vpd.ca, the department said.¹