Massive fire engulfs under-construction Langley complex
Posted April 19, 2021 10:27 pm.
Last Updated April 19, 2021 11:41 pm.
LANGLEY (NEWS 1130) — A massive fire broke out at a multi-storey building under construction in Langley — flames lighting up the night sky, sending clouds of thick smoke across the Lower Mainland Monday night.
You can see just how huge the flames are in Langley, the embers being shot into the air, and the plumes of smoke from the condo complex. Callers to @NEWS1130 can see the smoke from across the Lower Mainland, people in the are feel the heat from blocks away. Via Zach Szlabon pic.twitter.com/myFXHjnWui
— Tarnjit Kaur Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) April 20, 2021
Photos and video show flames tearing through the building at 208th Street and 80th Avenue.
Mariam lives nearby, and was driving home when she saw the blaze.
“There were just huge flames, and three big flashes, and all these people gathered,” she says.
https://twitter.com/drl3135/status/1384395662947602435
Noting the area is pretty densely populated, she says she’s prepared for the possibility she may need to leave home.
“No one has lived in that apartment building, but it’s been in the process of being built for a while now. No one was in that particular one that’s on fire, but the one right beside — there’s families in there, there’s an elementary school across the street. Everywhere in that area, there’s people who live there, but that particular one, no one lives there.”
Another shot of the massive fire happening in Langley right now at 80th and 208. @GlobalBC @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/hl4kkNgl2P
— myles koebel (@mylesforlife) April 20, 2021
— Joey (@vance_joey) April 20, 2021
@NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/TK9atM3EwZ
— Mariam (@Mariiamxkx) April 20, 2021
My brother and his family live across the street. Lots of burning embers in the air. They are getting organized to evacuate. Lots of dense townhouse complexes there. pic.twitter.com/Z2y0F3b0Ie
— Rich Overgaard (@RichTweets) April 20, 2021
Some people who live nearby say hot embers are raining down, and they heard a succession of loud bangs before the building collapsed in on itself.
Mariam says the air was thick with smoke, and heat radiated through the area.
“It was heat like you’ve never felt before. I can’t imagine what the firefighters are feeling and all the other first responders because I was across the street and sweating — it was that hot.”
Just spoke to a caller who lives near the fire, she says the flames are unlike anything she's ever seen before and the heat could be felt from blocks away. She says the condos were under construction – but other condo units were located nearby and are occupied. @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/WtoDajWp6Q
— Tarnjit Kaur Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) April 20, 2021
@GlobalBC @CTVVancouver @cbcnewsbc @NEWS1130 huge fire condo under construction corner of 208 street and 80 avenue in Langley pic.twitter.com/iZR23B7jiZ
— Colin Kellner (@ColinKellner) April 20, 2021
My friend’s view pic.twitter.com/3CMN9RFxS3
— tiny bubbles (@pupsessed) April 20, 2021
Seen all the way from Coquitlam 16Km away. pic.twitter.com/nSdY8wzYga
— Chris Hammond (@chrisbhammond) April 20, 2021
NEWS 1130 has contacted Langley firefighters and RCMP for more information.