Chilliwack – Early Monday Morning (@3:35AM), a passerby witnessed flames on the second-floor balcony of an apartment building in the 45000 block of Spadina Ave and quickly called 911. The Chilliwack Fire Department was dispatched and 20 Firefighters responded from Halls 1 and 4. On arrival, fire crews confirmed that there was a working structure fire on a 2nd floor suite balcony of a 4 storey multi-tenant residential apartment.
Fire crews performed an exterior attack and worked quickly to knock the fire down and extinguish, minimizing fire damage to the balcony. Tenants were home at the time of the fire and sustained minor smoke inhalation. The tenants were transported to Chilliwack General Hospital by BC Ambulance Service for further observation.
No one was hurt and tenants were allowed to go back into the building shortly after the fire was extinguished.
The cause of the fire is accidental and was started by improper disposal of smoking material.
Chilliwack Fire Dept., would like to remind residents wherever you smoke, use deep, sturdy ashtrays. If ashtrays are not available, use a metal can or pail. Never empty smoking material directly into a trash can. Place the ashtrays or metal cans away from anything that can burn.