Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / A fire broke out at an unoccupied residence at 45804 Reece Avenue early Saturday morning (May 13). Hours later, a hydraulic excavator was used to demolish the home. A previous fire broke out at the home back on October 25, which was unoccupied back then. Chilliwack firefighters remained on scene Saturday morning to spray down any smoking debris from the home.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Structure fire on Reece Avenue

Chilliwack home burns overnight, gets demolished Saturday

May 13, 2023 | 8:59 AM

CHILLIWACK — Multiple units from the Chilliwack Fire Department responded to a structure fire at an abandoned house near Reece Avenue and Robson Street early Saturday morning (May 13).

According to Chilliwack resident Julie Hiscock, who works outside overnight and monitors fires around town, Chilliwack Fire Department units Air 1, Engines 2, 5, 6, and 5-2, Rescue 1, and Rehab Unit 6, were all dispatched to a report of a structure fire in the 45800 block of Reece Avenue.

On arrival, firefighters discovered the house was fully engulfed in flames. Over 20 firefighters worked to suppress the fire. The fire was out by 4:45 a.m.

Fire crews were still on scene Saturday morning at 8 a.m. A hydraulic excavator, a Cat model 325F, is on scene in the backyard of the home to raze the structure, while Chilliwack firefighters are using two hoses to spray down any smouldering debris from the home.

Smoke continued to emanate from the home even at 8:04 a.m. Saturday morning, according to Hiscock, who surveyed the damage.

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The same home burned on October 25, as Chilliwack firefighters had a difficult time reaching parts of the home. According to a story on October 26 from Fraser Valley Today, Chilliwack Fire Department personnel had a difficult time extinguishing the unoccupied residence but were able to prevent the blaze from spreading to adjacent properties and homes. Approximately 30 firefighters responded from Halls No. 1, 2, 4 and 6 and discovered heavy flames and black smoke coming from the rear of the two-storey detached residential home.

According to B.C. Assessment records, the Reece Avenue home was built in 1907. The land size is 8,052 square feet. It was purchased for $500,000 on June 7, 2020.

In addition to this residential fire, the Chilliwack Fire Department was dispatched between Friday night and Saturday morning for several calls for service, including shrubs on fire near Robson and Wellington near downtown, hedges on fire near Victoria Avenue near College Street, two fires at Yale and Hodgson, and a garbage bin on fire near Promontory Road and Vedder Road at a gas station.