Port Coquitlam opens community centre for residents displaced by large apartment fire
Firefighters in Port Coquitlam extinguished a large fire in an apartment building on Wilson Avenue overnight.
Images from the scene show smoke, flames and significant damage to the three-storey building.
"I saw the flames going up on the wall, my wife she was sleeping, I woke her up and I'm like get out, lets get out,” said resident Luis Cruz.
After calling 911, Cruz said he rushed to warn his neighbours.
"The smoke was already coming in the hallways, down the first floor,” he said.
Port Coquitlam Fire Rescue says it was called to the scene at 2245 Wilson Ave. just after 10 p.m.
The size of the blaze also forced the evacuation of residents in a neighbouring building.
"Access to this one was a little bit challenging only because of the adjacent building," said Asst. Fire Chief Walt Warner. "Both buildings were quite tight together, but crews were able to get water onto the fire quite quickly."
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but crews do not believe it's suspicious.
Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West said in a Twitter thread Sunday morning that one person had been treated for a burn and one firefighter had been treated for smoke inhalation as a result of the blaze.
Fire crews remained on scene Sunday, continuing to put out hot spots.
An emergency shelter has been set up for displaced residents at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre, and engineers have been called in to assess if the neighbouring building is safe for residents to return.
It’s not yet known where residents of the building that caught fire will be placed over the coming days.
Wilson Avenue was closed between Donald Street and Mary Hill Road due to the fire, the city said, adding that community centre parking could be accessed from Mary Hill and Kingsway.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Medical investigator rules Baldwin set shooting an accident
The fatal film-set shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin last year was an accident, according to a determination made by New Mexico's Office of the Medical Investigator following the completion of an autopsy and a review of law enforcement reports. The medical investigator's report was made public Monday by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office along with numerous reports from the FBI on the revolver and ammunition that were collected following the shooting.

Canadians favour metric system despite often using imperial measurements: poll
While many Canadians don’t support moving away from the metric system of measurement, many continue to use imperial measurements in their daily lives, according to a recent online poll.
'We've been abandoned': Man dies in B.C. town waiting for health care near ambulance station
For the second time in less than a month, a resident of Ashcroft, B.C., died while waiting for health care after having a heart attack mere metres from a local ambulance station.
Economists predict a 'mild recession,' but what would that look like in Canada?
With inflation on the rise and central banks poised to increase rates, CTVNews.ca speaks with experts on whether Canada will experience a recession, and if so, what it would look like.
Minister asks Canadians not to fake travel plans to skip passport application lines
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development of Canada Karina Gould is discouraging people from making fake travel plans just to skip the line of those waiting for passports.
'I have to fight for myself': Quadriplegic man says N.S. government told him to live in a hospital
A diving accident at 14-years-old left Brian Parker paralyzed from the chest down. Now at age 49, he's without the person who was caring for him full-time until just last week, after his 68-year-old mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Bryce Dallas Howard says she was paid less than Chris Pratt for 'Jurassic World' films
Actress Bryce Dallas Howard said she was paid 'so much less' than her co-star Chris Pratt for their work in the 'Jurassic World' films.
'This is our land': Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs, pipeline opponents rally in Vancouver
Opponents of the Coastal GasLink pipeline currently under construction in Northern B.C took to the streets of Vancouver Monday, briefly blocking north-bound traffic on the Cambie Street Bridge.
'Nightmare without end': Action needed to address rights abuses against Afghan women and girls, advocate says
The international community needs to step up to hold the Taliban accountable for human rights abuses in Afghanistan, a year after the militant Islamist group took control of the country and limited the rights of women and girls, according to Heather Barr, associate director of the Women's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch.