Abbotsford apartment fire displaces dozens, destroys building
Posted February 14, 2021 6:54 pm.
Last Updated February 14, 2021 6:57 pm.
ABBOTSFORD (NEWS 1130) — Dozens of people have lost their homes after a fire tore through an Abbotsford apartment building in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Crews were called out around 1:30 a.m. to find flames shooting from the roof.
The three-storey, 57-unit complex on Delair Road near Sumas Way is now “unlivable,” according to Assistant Fire Chief Rob Hull.
“The roof was completely burned off the building, there’s heavy water damage throughout all the floors. It took some time to put out. We had a focus on making sure everybody was out of the building as well as trying to concentrate on getting the fire out.”
No one was hurt but everyone who lives in the building was taken to a nearby church where they were connected to temporary, emergency shelter.
“Mostly everybody left with just what they had on,” Hull says.
“There’s some substantial damage to the upper floors and a lot of water damage so I’m not sure what will be salvageable in some of the suites.”
How it started How it ended #justexhausted #fire #abbotsford pic.twitter.com/uBJgAWqaF0
— Tiffany (@auntietippy) February 14, 2021
The fire is not thought to be suspicious, but the cause is still under investigation.
Hull says as the night wore on, and the fire was brought under control, crews were able to rescue a number of beloved pets.
“Most people had to leave without their pets and later in the incident once we were able to ensure the fire was out and the building was safe, we were able to go back in and search for animals and probably were able to pull out somewhere in the neighbourhood of 15 to 20 cats.”
