Eleven people are out of their homes in Walnut Grove after a massive fire in a townhouse complex Sunday evening.
Langley Township Fire was called at 9:13 p.m. to a complex at 20292 96th Avenue, said Russ Jenkins, deputy fire chief.
The call came in as a house fire but was upgraded to a commercial strucfture fire because of the location, a townhouse complex with multiple units.
“It looks like it’s separate units, started in one and then spread to the neighbouring unit,” Jenkins said.
Neighbours Sydnee Russell and Jen Pinch said it was scary for neighbours who saw the flames shooting into the sky. Russell had been walking with her husband, and they were worried that it was their home when they first saw the fire.
They also said that the family in the home on the south got out with all three of their pets safely – a hamster, a rabbit, and a dog.
According to neighbours, the fire is believed to have started in the back of one home, possibly in the hot tub area on the back deck, and spread from there.
One firefighter sustained minor injuries at the scene.
Jenkins said 30 to 35 firefighters were involved in the call, with about seven or eight pieces of equipment. Crews from the Walnut Grove firehall were helped by others halls in Murrayville and Fort Langley.
“We’ve got our investigators on scene just this morning, so the fire investigation is underway,” Jenkins said.
He said the units have significant damage, and neighbouring units may have been impacted by water. But the fire was contained to the two units.
“We investigate every residential, structural, or commercial structure fire. So it’s just part of our process to do the investigation and report it to the office of fire commissioner,” he explained.
Victim Services provides help to people who have lost their homes due to fire and other emergency incidents, by providing up to 72 hours of accommodation.
The smoke was visible for miles around, and on Sunday, people took to social media to offer help to those impacted, including clothing, e-transfers, toiletries, and even free meals at a Walnut Grove restaurant.
One of the fire victims was Debbie Balfour who asked people to hold off until she can have some time to think about next moves.
“My home was one of the homes, and the most badly burned. We are safe but lost everything. My son literally didn’t get out with a shirt or shoes on,” she wrote on a Walnut Grove Facebook page.
Karen Moraes, who ran for Township council last autumn, was also forced from her home. A friend has started a GoFundMe for her since she lost everything in the fire.
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