1 person dead in Chilliwack, B.C., apartment fire
One person died in a massive apartment fire Chilliwack early Thursday morning.
The flames broke out about 1:20 a.m. at the Hazelwood Manor on Hazel Street near Margaret Avenue.
The heat and flames were so intense, residents began jumping from their balconies before firefighters arrived.
“Crews deployed ground ladders quickly and started performing rescues from those balconies, while the setup of water supply and deployed handlines and master streams for a defensive attack,” said Assistant Chief Andrew Brown, of the Chilliwack Fire Department.
Alan Bukuska lives next door and was woken up by the sound of firefighters kicking down his fence.
When he rushed outside, he noticed a man in distress on the third floor.
He called for help and firefighters used a tall ladder to carry the man to safety.
“Definitely a good shot of adrenaline. Yeah, I couldn't really believe it. Waking up at 1:30 in the morning, you don't really expect this type of thing to be happening,” said Bukuska.
It’s a situation that Brown says his crews are trained for, but he’s proud of their bravery, adding their efforts saved many lives.
“The rescues are difficult for fire crews. There is a lot of stress involved that are more or less what we train for we prepared for that. And the guys did a great job deploying the ground ladders and efficient safe manner and getting people off those balconies,” said Brown.
Sadly, one person that jumped from the building did not survive the fall.
Brown doesn’t believe any other residents were hurt, but two firefighters had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
Bukuska was concerned about the flames reaching his home, at one point fire crews were fighting the flames from his rooftop.
“At one point, the flames were shooting out quite drastically, like right out over into the street almost. But yeah, the roof was on fire at one point and the smoke was so thick that we had to all stand way back here because it was just blowing right towards us," he said.
The building is severely damaged and has been deemed unstable so fire crews are not yet able to go inside. An engineer is expected on site Friday to determine if it’s safe enough to enter, and further assessments will determine if the building will need to be demolished.
“Looks like it started in the rear of the building up in the upper floors. The challenge is that it’s an older building with concealed spaces. So that you know makes it harder for crews to access the fire,” Brown told CTV News, adding investigators will also look at whether fire alarms went off.
“A lot of times in a fire, the alarms go off, occupants get out fairly quickly and I don't know why in this building they weren’t out as quick and they were on balconies,” he said.
Bukuska said it was incredible to watch firefighters do their work.
“It was really shocking. But when I saw what they were doing, I had full confidence. They knew what they were doing. They're keeping us safe. And I can't thank them enough they did an amazing job.”
The building has approximately 50 units.
All residents have been taken to a nearby reception centre and have access to emergency services.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
Russia reports downing 5 Ukrainian military balloons in Kyiv's latest apparent war innovation
Russian air defences downed what authorities described as five Ukrainian balloons overnight, the defence ministry in Moscow said Thursday, as the sides kept up long-range strikes that have featured heavily in what has largely become a war of attrition.