Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Chilliwack firefighters work to attack a structure fire at a home on Second Avenue Sunday morning in Chilliwack. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Structure fire

Update: Chilliwack firefighters tackle structure fire Sunday morning at vacant Second Avenue home

Oct 6, 2024 | 8:24 AM

CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack firefighters from multiple fire halls were paged Sunday morning for a fire at a 104-year-old home in the 46000 block of Second Avenue.

Chilliwack Fire Chief Andrew Brown has confirmed in a news release Sunday morning that 30 firefighters from Halls 1, 4, 5 and 6 were dispatched to a house fire on Second Avenue. On arrival, firefighters witnessed heavy smoke and flames venting from multiple areas of the home. Chief Brown says the building was vacant and boarded up at the time of the fire.

“Initial arriving crews quickly began a defensive fire attack while securing a water supply to bring the fire under control,” Chief Brown said. “Firefighters effectively extinguished the fire, containing fire and smoke damage to the building of origin. The building suffered significant fire and smoke damage.”

The fire sent columns of smoke throughout Chilliwack that could be seen from Sardis several kilometres away. A strong odour of smoke filled the area around the fire and throughout downtown Chilliwack.

Chilliwack RCMP were dispatched as well, establishing a presence on the perimeter of the fire staging area.

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Firefighters contacted dispatch at about 8:05 a.m. to request that an excavator be paged, or that dispatch arrange for an excavator, so that the home could be demolished.

A neighbour who lives just south of the Second Avenue home estimated the house had been vacant for about a week, but believed the home may have been intermittently inhabited by squatters.

As of 8:30 a.m., firefighters have asked for public works crews to set up barricades in the alley behind the home as well as on Second Avenue.

B.C. Assessment says the home was built in 1920.

The fire is under investigation by the Chilliwack Fire Department and RCMP. Anyone with information on the origin of the house fire is urged to contact Chilliwack RCMP at 604-792-4611, or anonymously through Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and www.upperfraservalleycrimestoppers.ca.