Chilliwack family with newborn awakes to smell of garage fire smoke

It was the smell of smoke that awoke a Chilliwack family to a fire in their house on Amadis Crescent Thursday night.

About 30 firefighters from Halls 1, 2, 4 and 6 responded to the fire which happened around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 near Ashwell Road.

When crews arrived on scene, everyone was out of the house and smoke was showing from the garage.

“Crews then set up a quick exterior attack on the fire to bring it under control while securing a water supply. Once the fire was under control crews entered the structure to extinguish the fire,” assistant fire chief Andy Brown said in a press release.

The family, which included a two-day-old baby and a six-year-old, was taken to hospital for observation, said fire prevention officer Lieut. Lisa Axelson the morning after the fire.

There was extensive fire damage to the garage, and light smoke damage to the rest of the home. The cause of the fire appears to be accidental and is under investigation by Chilliwack Fire Department.

All of the pets in house got out safely. There were no firefighter or civilian injures.

“The Chilliwack Fire Department wants to remind the public working smoke alarms save lives, cutting the risk of dying in a home fire in half, and to check smoke alarms are working twice a year, changing the batteries annually,” Brown said.

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