Chilliwack Fire Dept. now considers School Street fire ‘suspicious’

Assistant Fire Chief Chris Wilson of the Chilliwack Fire Department released a statement at 3:04 p.m. stating 30 firefighters from five different halls responded to the scene and discovered a vacant single-family home with smoke venting from around the windows and chimney. Fire crews secured a water supply and implemented a defensive attack on the home.

There were no firefighter or civilian injuries reported and the home sustained fire, smoke and water damage.

The fire is considered suspicious and is under investigation by Chilliwack Fire Department personnel and the RCMP, Wilson said in his statement.

School Street was blocked off at Hodgins during the fire.

Chilliwack RCMP, Griffin Security and BC Ambulance Service also responded to the scene.

The home at 9049 School Street was sold along with other properties on January 28, 2022. It appears to be one of several properties where a 200-bed long-term care facility could be built, according to bid and tender documents on a B.C. government website.

In the past week, the Chilliwack Fire Department was dispatched to an abandoned home for the report of a fire in the immediate vicinity of 9049 School Street. According to assistant fire chief Andy Brown, Chilliwack firefighters responded to a fire in a vacant house on Mary Street over the Oct. 27-29 weekend. No one was inside the home on Mary Street when firefighters arrived, Brown said.

by Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack Fire Dept. now considers School Street fire ‘suspicious’

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