Former Bavarian Arms Café engulfed by large fire
A large fire tore through a North Vancouver house that was once a popular café early Saturday morning.
Fire crews were called to the building in the 5000-block of Skyline Drive around 1 a.m. PT after reports of thick smoke in the area.
Crews had some difficulty finding the house, which was in a wooded area at the base of the old Grouse Mountain chairlift.
The home was fully engulfed in flames by the time they were able to find it.
"It's an older home tucked in away behind a cliff edge," said Battalion Chief Jim Bonneville with the District of North Vancouver Fire Department.
"The fire was going pretty good when crews arrived."
The house was originally built as the Bavarian Arms Café, according to real estate listings. It was sold as a home after the restaurant closed.
Challenging fire to access
Crews had trouble accessing the fire due to its remote location and some hazards caused by the fire.
"They only had ... one area that they could fight it from, so it makes it tough to get any headway on the fire," said Bonneville.
Crews also had issues in accessing water in the area, and had to run extra hoses from a hydrant further down the hill.
North Vancouver RCMP said nobody was home at the time and that officers believe the homeowners are out of the country.
Although fire crews were able to keep the blaze from spreading to nearby trees, the fire completely destroyed the house. The cause is currently under investigation.
