Image: Louanne Letkeman, used with permission / The Chilliwack Fire Department says 54 firefighters were dispatched to Monday's fire at Cross Connection Church at 9310 Williams Street. The fire is under investigation, Assistant Fire Chief Chris Wilson said in a news release Tuesday morning (Sept. 5).
Church fire in Chilliwack

Chilliwack Fire Dept. says fire at Cross Connection Church is under investigation

Sep 5, 2023 | 8:56 AM

CHILLIWACK — The Chilliwack Fire Department says Monday’s intense fire at a 75-year-old church is under investigation.

In a news release from Assistant Fire Chief Chris Wilson, the Chilliwack Fire Department was dispatched to a report of smoke coming from Cross Connection Church at 9310 Williams Street. Fifty-four firefighters from Halls 1 (Cheam Avenue), 2 (Rosedale), 4 (South Sumas), 5 (Ryder Lake) and 6 (Greendale) responded to the scene and discovered smoke venting from the attic space of the wood-framed church.

According to Wilson, crews initially entered the building to locate the seat of the fire but were faced with heat and heavy smoke. Due to the rapidly deteriorating conditions inside the building, all firefighters were pulled back and defensive fire suppression operations utilizing multiple aerial master streams and handlines were initiated for the remainder of the incident.

Fire personnel worked tirelessly for several hours, Wilson said, and were challenged with a large wood-framed building, heavy volumes of smoke and fire and several structural collapses. A piece of heavy equipment was brought to the scene in the evening to remove some collapse hazards and begin demolition of parts of the building.

Through the efforts of firefighters and the heavy equipment, several important documents and items were able to be successfully retrieved and returned to members of the church that were at the scene of the fire, Wilson said.

Image: Louanne Letkeman, used with permission / Chilliwack Fire Department personnel worked into the late evening hours Monday night after a fire broke out at the 75-year-old church.

The Chilliwack Salvation Army responded to the scene and provided food and nourishment for fire crews.

Two firefighters received minor injuries and there were no civilian injuries reported.

The fire is currently under investigation by Chilliwack Fire Department personnel.

Chilliwack RCMP Sgt. Krista Vrolyk issued a similar statement Tuesday morning by saying the fire remains under investigation.

Chilliwack RCMP assisted with traffic control as road closures were necessary to maintain public safety. Police and fire investigators are in the preliminary stages of this investigation.  It is expected that investigators will be able to enter the scene on Tuesday morning once the scene is deemed safe.

“Once we are able to examine the scene and gather more evidence, we will have a better determination of whether this fire is suspicious or criminal in nature,” Sgt. Vrolyk said in a news release.

Anyone with any information regarding this fire is asked to call the Chilliwack RCMP at 604-792-4611 (reference Chilliwack RCMP 2023-36982).

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