A fire that broke out around 8 p.m. Monday was swiftly handled by the Chilliwack Fire Department, saving homes and at least one nearby business.
A grass fire started by the train tracks close to the Charles Street underpass, in the 46000 block of 4th Avenue. It quickly spread to bundles of lumber at the lumber processing facility there, and ignited several bundles of lumber, according to the Chilliwack Fire Department.
They responded quickly with firefighters from Halls 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. They established a water supply and deployed high-volume water streams to bring the fire under control.
“As a result of this quick and aggressive attack, fire crews were able to limit the damage to the bundles and were able to protect several other bundles of lumber in the yard as well as the buildings on the property,” a press release from the department said.
There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported. The Chilliwack Fire Department and RCMP are actively investigating the cause of the fire, and anyone with information is asked to call the RCMP at 604-792-4611 or anonymously through Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or
Kayla Harrison was among the first to call 911 when the fire started. She noticed it with her dad and his friend, she said in a Facebook post. She said they drove to the scene and waited for the fire trucks to arrive. When the fire department, arrived they had to cut through a lock and drive to a parking lot to access the fire.
This is the second suspicious industrial area fire in just a week. On Thursday, a similar type of fire was knocked down behind a new berry processing plant on Brannick Place. Investigators are considering that fire to be arson, and involved a pile of about 300 pallets. Anyone with information about that fire is also asked to contact the RCMP or Crimestoppers.
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