Residents safe after massive house fire breaks out in Surrey

A massive fire broke out at a house in Surrey early Friday morning and residents believe an electric heater may have caused it.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service were called to the Bridgeview area around 12:45 a.m. and found a property near 115 Avenue and 125 A Street engulfed in flames.

Once confirming all residents had exited the building safely, Battalion Chief Dino Michielin said crews began attacking the second-alarm fire from the exterior to protect surrounding properties.

“We were informed of one resident that couldn’t vacate one of the neighbour houses so we had another crew attend there,” Michielin said at the scene, adding the response involved 16 personnel.

While he says it’s too early to determine what caused the fire, one resident of the property told CTV News it may have had something to do with a heater that was in a bedroom being renovated.

“It could have had a dip in temperature this morning, which caused it to come on, on its own. And there was a hole in the floor there, so a lot of air just probably came up from under the house and ignited it very fast,” said Janice Lauzon.

“I was pretty well right there when it started. I smelled it. By the time I was able to get a door open it was in full flames already,” she added.