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.