Family displaced after fire erupts at Surrey home
At least one family is homeless following a house fire that spread to a neighbouring home in Surrey Friday afternoon.
Crews were called to the blaze at a house on 132A Street at 106 Avenue around 3:30 p.m.
Bill Pigott lives across the street from the house. He said the fire was so large, he could feel intense heat from his front door.
“I was terrified,” he said. “Absolutely terrified.”
Pigott believes the fire started in the carport. Within a few minutes, Pigott said, the front of the two-storey home was fully engulfed in flames.
“One of my roommates saw someone jump out one of the top windows,” he said. “They were on the ground here for a while, saying help me.”
Another neighbour, who gave his name as Joe and declined to give a last name, says multiple people were inside the house when the fire broke out.
“I saw one of the people who lived there,” he said. “She was running around with a little fire extinguisher, and then she just ran I haven’t seen her since.”
The Surrey Fire Service confirms no one was injured in the blaze. More than 30 firefighters battled the fire, which spread to the house next door, scorching its side and roof. The family living there was not home when the fire broke out, but tells CTV News the damage to their home is so extensive fire officials have not yet allowed them to go inside. At this point, they don’t know if their house will be salvageable.
On top of the raging flames, fire crews had another hazard to deal with.
“They had live power lines down between the two houses,” said Deputy Chief John Lehmann of the Surrey Fire Service.
“They dealt with that by treating it as two separate fires, with crews staying in their own areas.”
Lehmann said BC Hydro quickly shut off the electricity. Neighbours said they were without power for approximately 90 minutes.
As for the residents of the house where the fire broke out, Pigott said he has not seen them return to the scene.
“If I had to guess I’d say they were dealing drugs out of that house. Because there was a lot of traffic all night long,” Pigott said.
Surrey RCMP said Friday there was some kind of “disturbance” at the house on Friday afternoon, but did not provide details beyond that. Fire officials continue investigating. There’s no official word on what sparked the blaze.
“I’m a little worried that it could happen to us,” said Pigott. “You don’t know if it was old electronics or if somebody caused the fire.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.
DEVELOPING Israel says Hamas deal is 'far' from meeting its demands as Rafah offensive looms
Israel said the terms of a ceasefire deal Hamas accepted on Monday remained 'far from' meeting its demands and warned its military operations in Rafah would continue, even as it sent negotiators to talk to mediators.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion's biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.