ABBOTSFORD – A house fire that broke out early Tuesday morning in the Fraser Valley has left seven people and a dog temporarily homeless.
Abbotsford firefighters were called to a property on Rockhill Place near Deertrail Avenue shortly before 3 a.m. and found the home fully engulfed in flames.
Fortunately, everyone inside had managed to escape, even though there were no working fire alarms in the house.
"They must have smelled something," Asst. Chief Craig Leighton said. "We didn't have any reports of smoke alarms operating, so that's obviously a concern."
People should make a point of ensuring they have alarms at home and that they're in working order, Leighton added.
No one was seriously injured in Tuesday's fire, but crews said a couple residents were checked out for smoke inhalation.
The rear of the house was fully involved when firefighters arrived on scene, and the flames had spread to the interior of the home. Crews managed to knock the fire down quickly, but Leighton said the damage to the property was substantial.
"The residents will be displaced and the house will have to have significant repair work done," he said.
Leighton would not comment on a potential cause, but said an investigator will be brought in to determine how the fire started.
