UPDATE: ‘This is devastating to us,’ says tenant after early-morning fire damages house in Chilliwack

Emergency crews were called to house fire on Second Avenue in Chilliwack early Tuesday morning.

Crews from the Chilliwack Fire Department were dispatched to the 46000-block of Second Avenue near Charles Street at 5:03 a.m. on Feb. 28. Firefighters from Halls 1, 2, 4, and 6 responded.

When firefighters arrived, they found smoke venting from the eaves of a two-storey house, fire chief Ian Josephson stated in a press release.

No one was home at the time of the fire when crews arrived.

“Firefighters gained access and quickly extinguished the fire. There was minor fire and water damage with significant smoke damage to the remainder of the house.”

Brenda Belluz, who rents the house and lived there with her daughter, contacted The Progress after the story was published.

“This is devastating to us. Our two cats are still missing,” she wrote in an email, adding that she and her daughter like their neighbourhood and work in the community.

“I am sad. My mom recently passed away and my dad brought lots of her things which were in the dining room and upstairs,” Belluz said.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries.

This fire is under investigation by Chilliwack Fire Department and RCMP fire investigators.

If anyone has any information about this fire, they are asked to call the RCMP at 604-792-4611 or anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.upperfraservalleycrimestoppers.ca.

NOTE: An earlier version of this story stated it was a vacant house, but it was later clarified that no one was home at the time of the fire. The Progress regrets the error and any confusion it may have caused.

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