'It's challenging': Surrey home destroyed in early morning fire

Surrey, B.C. -

A Surrey home was destroyed after an early morning fire on 100 Avenue near 174A Street.

The blaze broke out just before 4 a.m. and quickly spread, forcing fire crews to upgrade it to a second-alarm fire.

“It was fully involved, so there were flames and smoke on all sides of the unit,” said Battalion Chief Scott Peake, of the Surrey Fire Service.

The 3,500-square-foot rancher is nestled between several large trees and powerlines, so Peak says it was challenging to get near it.

“We were dealing with live wires and flowing gas as well at this time. So we were having to back away from the home briefly here,” said Peake as the fire was still burning in behind him.

Thick black smoke and bright orange flames could be seen from the Port Mann Bridge.

“It's challenging for us safety wise and it's challenging, for us to actually extinguish the fire with all the trees and everything around the home as well. So it makes it a little more difficult,” he added.

Crews had to rely on an aerial ladder to knock down the flames.

“We did have reports that possibly somebody is in it, but we have heard now that there were witnesses saying that they'd left,” said Peak.

Surrey Fire Service later confirmed to CTV that everyone who may have been inside the home had escaped safely. 

The crew of 24 firefighters were able to prevent the homes on either side from being damaged.

The chief says the home was abandoned, but neighbours told CTV News that a family of four lived there.

"It was a mom and dad and two kids. We've only been here for about a year, so we didn't really know them very well. They were quiet, there was a family that actually lived here. They weren't squatters or anything," said Aaron Fast, who lives next door.

The driveway was filled with debris from the home as crews worked.

Peake says it’s too soon to know what caused the fire and whether or not it’s suspicious.

“We have RCMP on scene right now and they're gonna stay until we can get a fire investigator in here and check it out,” he said.

RCMP officers and the fire investigator were seen canvassing the area for surveillance video late Tuesday morning and police tape was then put up around the home.