Vancity attempting foreclosure on property where apartment demolished after three fires

Owners of fire-damaged building face lawsuit The building may be gone, but the debts still need to be paid, according to lawsuits regarding an infamous Vancouver building.

Vancity has filed documents in the Supreme Court of British Columbia to begin foreclosure proceedings against Fu Ren and Feng Yan, the owners of a Mount Pleasant apartment building that caught fire three times in just over 12 months.

After the third fire earlier this month, the city hired a company to demolish the building at 414 East 10th Ave. and says it will send the bill to Ren and Yan.

The city is also taking the couple to court for allegedly failing to comply with a number of orders from the building inspector and fire chief.

According to the Vancity court petition, which was filed in July before the most recent fire, the owners failed to maintain insurance on the building.

It also cites the fact they did not remediate the building following the first fire.

The credit union claims Ren and Yan owe $1.6 million plus interest and it is seeking repayment effective immediately.

Following an appearance in B.C. Provincial Court on the city matter, CTV News tried to question Ren about the foreclosure proceedings but he did not respond.

During that encounter, Ren acknowledged he had driven over a firehose during the third fire.

“After I drive over, is it broken?” he said.

Driving over firehoses is an illegal and potentially dangerous act the Vancouver Fire Rescue Service has repeatedly asked people not to do.