Image: Kim Evans, used with permission / Multiple Chilliwack Fire Department units were paged to Little Mountain Thursday morning after a motorhome caught fire and impacted a unit at a multi-unit housing complex on Yale Road.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack Fire Department

Update: One person transported to hospital after RV fire at Yale Road housing complex, which previously had a demolition permit

Nov 21, 2024 | 10:29 AM

UPDATE 12:00 P.M. FRIDAY: Chilliwack Assistant Fire Chief Chris Wilson tells Fraser Valley Today 12 firefighters attached to three engines were dispatched for Thursday’s fire at 46915 Yale Road in Chilliwack. One occupant was taken to hospital to get checked out for a bit of smoke inhalation, Wilson said. There were no other injuries from the fire. The cause has not been determined, Wilson said. The fire is under investigation.

Wilson said there was a small burn on the outside wall of the end unit closest to Yale Road.

“We basically pulled the soffit and wall material as we got to the fire to make sure it didn’t extend,” Wilson said. “Our crews were able to stop any spread to the building. It didn’t extend past that exterior wall.”

When asked the condition of the multi-unit complex, Wilson said city bylaw staff and Chilliwack Fire Department personnel are certainly aware of the property. He said bylaw staff have been working with the property owner to remediate things.

Semi truck hits parked cars

Fraser Valley big rig driver facing impaired driver charges for allegedly hitting 4 parked cars

3h ago

Chilliwack rental home

Property owner stunned after tenant leaves Chilliwack rental home in complete disarray

7h ago

Abbotsford man wins

Abbotsford man wins big Lotto Max jackpot, eyes retirement savings

7h ago

CHILLIWACK — Multiple Chilliwack Fire Department units were paged to Little Mountain Thursday morning after a motorhome caught fire and appeared to impact a unit at a dilapidated multi-unit housing complex on Yale Road.

Pictures taken by Kim Evans show smoke billowing from a motorhome unit adjacent to a unit closest to Yale Road. There appeared to be visible damage at the end unit closest to Yale Road.

Yale Road was briefly blocked while firefighters worked to control the fire. Chilliwack RCMP attended for traffic control purposes.

The fire was struck at approximately 10 a.m. and did not spread beyond the housing complex, which is located just east of a Centex gas station.

Image: Kim Evans, used with permission / Firefighters work to control a fire at a Yale Road multi-housing complex Thursday morning in Chilliwack.

Fraser Valley Today is awaiting comment from one of the three assistant fire chiefs for the Chilliwack Fire Department.

In March 2024, Fraser Valley Today reported that this same multi-unit housing complex on Yale Road has had an active demolition permit, as well as two development applications.

“There are two development applications for 46915 Yale Road currently on hold,” City of Chilliwack spokesperson Liana Wiebe said in an email to Fraser Valley Today. “Neither application has been presented to Council, so no staff reports or other documents are available at this time.”

One application is to rezone the subject property from a CS2 (Tourist Commercial) zone to an R5 (Low Rise Apartment) to facilitate the construction of a new apartment development. The second application is a development variance permit application to increase the maximum permitted lot coverage from 50 per cent to 57 per cent and decrease the minimum required interior side lot line setback from 6m to 1.54m within the proposed R5 (Low Rise Apartment) Zone.

Formerly known as Willow Court, the complex at 46915 Yale Road, located two kilometres east of downtown Chilliwack, appears to be a shell of what it once was based on Google Maps imagery of the property dating back to 2009.

Image: Google Maps / A view of Willow Court (46915 Yale Road) from this Google Maps image in April 2009.

According to realty website Redfin, the property could be redeveloped into a 40-unit, five-storey market condo project.

“Developers Alert, 5-storey market condo project for sale in heart of City of Chilliwack,” a listing on Redfin stated. “Potential to build 40 residential units with buildable 59,101.52 square feet, stunning mountain views with glaciers.”

If the Redfin listing is correct, the current property consists of a four-bedroom house and a multi-family motel that contains two bachelor suites and nine 1-bedroom suites. Several renovations have been done to the property including new windows, roofing, flooring, painting, kitchen and bathroom.

A geotechnical report is available, Redfin states, through “due diligence.”