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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.