A fire in a second-floor unit of a multi-family residential building in Langley City forced the evacuation of residents Monday afternoon.
No serious injuries were reported in the fire at the Linwood Place complex on 55A Avenue near 200 Street.
The blaze was confined to one suite, but a unit below suffered some smoke and water damage as well, the fire department said.
The cause is under investigation.
At least three fire vehicles, three police cars and one ambulance responded around 3:30 p.m.
Police said many of the suites were unoccupied because the building was undergoing asbestos removal.
Officers had to order about a half dozen residents, who were ignoring the fire alarm and smoke smell, to leave the building.
Firefighters used pet oxygen masks on two cats and some ferrets removed from the building.
It's believed to be the first time the gear has been used since it was donated last year.
A fundraising campaign by Mountain View Veterinary Hospital equipped the Langley City and Township and Abbotsford fire departments with the pet oxygen mask kits last year.