Image: Jan Bosman / Smoke and flames appear after a fire broke out Monday evening at 8965 Nowell Street in Chilliwack.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Structure fire in Chilliwack

UPDATE: RCMP spokesperson says Chilliwack fire may have been started by homeless people

Dec 30, 2025 | 7:52 AM

UPDATE: Chilliwack RCMP spokesperson S/Sgt. Darryl Peppler tells Fraser Valley Today that police are continuing their investigation into Monday night’s fire on Nowell Street, confirming that it appears some homeless people were using it for shelter.

“The police are continuing their investigation and working with the Chilliwack Fire Department. Appears that the house was abandoned and that some homeless people were using it for shelter and may have started a fire inside, likely for warmth,” said S/Sgt. Peppler, detachment commander for the Agassiz RCMP detachment. “Thankfully, no loss of any human life or injuries. House has since been boarded up.”

Chilliwack Assistant Fire Chief Wade Meeres says 30 firefighters from Halls 1 and 4 responded. Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy smoke showing from the attic of a vacant single-family home. Firefighters secured a water supply and initiated an offensive attack, successfully containing and extinguishing the blaze.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Chilliwack Fire Department.

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CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack firefighters were called to a structure fire at a home on Nowell Street Monday night that had been for sale for over six months.

According to a voice recording provided to Fraser Valley Today by Chilliwack resident Julie Hiscock, Chilliwack’s duty officer, Engines 1, 1-2 and 4, and Ladder 4, were paged at approximately 10:35 p.m. Monday evening (Dec. 29) for a report of a fire at an abandoned home at 8965 Nowell Street.

The home is located close to the railroad tracks and Meadow Valley Meats.

Image: Google Maps / The structure fire happened right near Meadow Valley Meats.

An image taken by Jan Bosman shows thick black smoke and flames emanating from the home. A for sale sign appears in the bottom right of Bosman’s picture.

Video at the scene taken by Tyler Man shows multiple firefighters and engines at the scene, around the time the fire had thinned out and diminished to light smoke.

By approximately 10:58 p.m., the fire was reportedly struck, fire crews had completed a primary and secondary search of the home, and were moving to overhaul.

Engine 4 crews cleared the scene at 11:18 p.m., followed by Tower 1 personnel at 11:19 p.m.

The home is currently listed on realtor.ca with an asking price of $799,000. It’s been on the market for approximately 202 days.

Image: Realtor.ca / Real estate pictures showing 8965 Nowell Street for sale, where a fire broke out Monday night.

Assessment records indicates the property is assessed at $776,300. The 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom home was built in 1948 and features 1,120 square feet of living space. The home has not been sold in the past three years, according to publicly available BC Assessment records.