Firefighters on scene on Balsam Avenue Sunday evening. (Image Credit: Mike Vanden Bosch)

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Reported structure fire

Lithium-ion battery could be the cause of Sunday’s fire at a Chilliwack home, which sustained ‘significant’ damage

Feb 2, 2026 | 6:43 AM

CHILLIWACK – Chilliwack Assistant Fire Chief Krista Minar says a preliminary investigation suggests a lithium-ion battery could be responsible for a fire at a home near Broadway and First Avenue Sunday evening.

According to a statement from Assistant Fire Chief Minar, Chilliwack fire crews were paged at just after 5 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 1) for reports of a possible structure fire in the 46400 block of Balsam Avenue. Initial reports described smoke emanating from the lower floor of the home. Once further details were provided to emergency dispatch from nearby witnesses, the incident was upgraded to a second-alarm response in which Fire Halls 2, 4, 5, and 6 and additional units were paged.

On arrival, firefighters observed visible smoke coming from the lower floor of a two-storey residential home. Minar says the residence was equipped with working smoke alarms, which alerted occupants and allowed them to evacuate safely. She says occupants of the home had already taken action to control the fire using fire extinguishers and a garden hose.

Crews initiated aggressive offensive tactics and were able to quickly bring the fire under control.

Two of the three household pets were accounted for; one outdoor cat remains unaccounted for at this time.

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There were no injuries reported to the public or responding firefighters. Emergency Support Services (ESS) was asked to attend in order to provide support to the occupants.

RCMP attended Sunday evening’s fire on Balsam Avenue in Chilliwack. (Image Credit: Mike Vanden Bosch)

RCMP were also on scene. Scanner traffic indicated there was an agitated member of the public, prompting Chilliwack firefighters to request RCMP. Within just minutes, two RCMP units arrived on scene, according to scanner traffic.

Minar says the fire was largely contained to one area of the home, which did sustain significant heat and smoke damage. The remainder of the residence experienced smoke damage.

Initial information suggests a possible involvement of lithium-ion batteries; however, the cause has not been confirmed as of Sunday evening. The incident remains under investigation by the Chilliwack Fire Department.

“The Chilliwack Fire Department reminds residents that lithium-ion batteries can pose a significant fire risk if damaged, improperly charged, or used with incompatible equipment,” Minar said.

To reduce the risk of lithium-ion battery fires, residents should consider the following safety tips:

• Use only the manufacturer-approved charger designed for the device.

• Do not charge batteries unattended or overnight.

• Keep batteries away from combustible materials while charging.

• Stop using and safely dispose of batteries that are damaged, overheating, swelling, or emitting an unusual odour.

• Never modify batteries or use them outside the manufacturer’s instructions.