A massive fire at an apartment building in Surrey has left more than 100 people homeless.
The four-alarm blaze began in a building at 121 A Street and 82nd Avenue around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, spreading quickly to the roof.
Assistant Fire Chief Brian Woznokoski says the fire was a “challenging one”, quickly progressing from a two-alarm to a four-alarm blaze.
“The crews fought this challenging fire very hard, and it got into the roof which has made it challenging to us because of void spaces and some collapsing as well,” he said.
Thirty-six firefighters and a command staff of seven were on the scene, battling the blaze for nearly five hours. No injuries were reported.
More than 100 residents - many of them elderly - were evacuated from the 77-unit building. Those in need of a place to spend the night were taken to the nearby Newton Seniors Centre.
Resident Amar Jaggi has lived on the second floor of the building for the last seven years, and saw the fire when he arrived home around 10:45 last night.
“It escalated very fast… I was shocked,” Jaggi said. “I don’t know what to say, all my stuff is in there, my personal and work stuff. It’s huge.”
By Sunday morning, the majority of the “stubborn” fire was extinguished and crews were ensuring all hot spots were put out.
Morning also brought some good news: several pets believed to have perished in the fire were found alive, including a cat and a bunny.
Fire crews say the building sustained major damage, mainly to the roof and the units on the fourth floor. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but several witnesses reported seeing the fire start on the outside of the building.
The blaze is not considered suspicious at this time. An investigation is ongoing.
