Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Chilliwack firefighters gather outside a home on Sherlaw Road in Ryder Lake Wednesday afternoon. Over two dozen firefighters from five Chilliwack fire halls were paged for the report of a structure fire. The fire started sometime around 3 p.m. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Structure fire in Ryder Lake

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UPDATE 8:35 A.M., SUNDAY, NOV. 17: Lori Wells says her brother-in-law, Gilles Charbonneau, was removed from life support Saturday night, and he passed away at 7:41 p.m. She says she will keep the GoFundMe active a few more days at which point donations will be shared with Gilles’ wife and son. “Thank you to everyone for your donations and for your kind words.”

UPDATE 10:10 P.M., THURSDAY NIGHT: Lori Wells says her brother-in-law, Gilles Charbonneau, was critically injured in Wednesday’s fire on Sherlaw Road in Ryder Lake Wednesday afternoon in Chilliwack. According to the text of a GoFundMe, Wells says Charbonneau has severe burns to 87 per cent of his body, and his internal organs were burned so badly in the fire that they are failing. Charbonneau was airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital.

“We went to see Gilles today (Wednesday),” Wells wrote in her GoFundMe appeal. “When we first entered the room the hospital chaplain met us and gave us the terrible news that we were dreading. The doctors have little to no hope of Gilles surviving his injuries, and tomorrow his wife and boy have the harshest of decisions to make.”

Wells says Charbonneau’s wife escaped without physical injury, and the family pets all survived, though one is a young Pyrenees cross who hasn’t been seen yet.

The house has been destroyed, Wells said.

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“They lost everything. All their memories. The house is gone.”

Wells established the GoFundMe to help cover the cost of basic necessities, temporary housing and eventually “a place they can call home again.”

CHILLIWACK — Over two dozen firefighters from five different halls were paged Wednesday afternoon for a structure fire at a home in the 5100 block of Sherlaw Road on a 40-acre property in Ryder Lake.

According to a dispatch recording provided by Chilliwack resident Julie Hiscock, Engines 1, 4, and 5-2, and the Chilliwack duty officer were first dispatched at 3:06 p.m. to the 5100 block of Sherlaw Road for a structure fire. The home itself is located quite a ways off Sherlaw Road and is not visible from the road.

According to a statement from Chilliwack Assistant Fire Chief Krista Minar, while en route, Chilliwack fire crews observed a visible column of smoke. Once firefighters received additional caller information, the fire was upgraded to a second alarm. Firefighters from Halls 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 responded to the scene. Upon arrival, they witnessed smoke and flames coming from a single-family residence. Both occupants had evacuated but sustained injuries.

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / First responders were dispatched to the 5100 block of Sherlaw Road Wednesday.

Firefighters quickly established a water supply and began aggressively attacking the fire to limit structural damage.

B.C. Emergency Health Services provided care for the occupants, who were later transported to hospital. A helicopter landing zone was established just up the road in an open field. A helicopter arrived at approximately 4:07 p.m. to transport one person to hospital who reportedly suffered burns to 87 per cent of his body.

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Chilliwack firefighters set up a helicopter landing zone in this open field on Sherlaw Road

No injuries to firefighters were reported.

Minar said both family pets made it out of the home. However, only one has been accounted for, while the other is still loose in the area.

“Although we are unable to confirm the exact breed, we believe it to be a retriever,” Minar said. “If you find a loose dog in the area, please contact Animal Control at 1-844-495-2273.”

Minar said damage was contained to the building and a single vehicle, something she attributed to the work of firefighters. Victim services were deployed and available on scene, and Emergency Support Services has been called in to provide further assistance. The RCMP were also on scene to provide support.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Chilliwack Fire Department.