Chilliwack – Late Tuesday afternoon, Chilliwack Fire was dispatched to a structure fire in an apartment complex in the 7400block of Shaw Avenue.
45 Firefighters responded from fire halls 1, 3,4 and 6and on arrival, reported exterior fire had been knocked down by passersby who were using a garden hose and fire extinguishers to knock down the fire, while occupants of the apartment complex evacuated the building.
The fire started on the 2nd floor of an exterior corner suite balcony. There was one-person home in the suite at the time of the fire. The building suffered damage to the exterior siding and balcony.
Two residents have minor injuries while saving their pets.
This fire appears to be accidental and caused by smoking materials.Chilliwack Fire Dept.wants to remind the public to ensure they extinguish and discard smoking material in an approved container, and the container is emptied regularly to prevent build-up of combustibles.
