Chilliwack firefighters had a busy day Friday (Aug. 7) as they tackled a fire at a vacant home on Rowat Avenue around 11:45 a.m., and soon after were called out to a barn fire in Rosedale.
While still on scene at Rowat Avenue, Chilliwack Fire Department was dispatched to a second structure fire.
Fire crews from all six halls responded to the active blaze at a chicken barn in the 49000-block of Castleman Road near Standeven Road after 12:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, flames were visible from through the roof at the north end of the structure. As crews put water on the sections of the raging barn, portions of the roof slowly collapsed in.
Hundreds of chickens were outside the barn at the south end, most in a grassy area safe from the fire. By 2:15 p.m. the south end of the structure was fully engulfed as well, with the entire structure eventually collapsing as the fire raged on and firefighters ensured no spread to adjacent structures.
The farm is a free-range poultry operation. The majority of the chickens were outside the barn at the time of the fire and were later collected and move to a neighbouring barn.
Unfortunately, a few of the chickens that were in the barn perished in the fire.
There were no civilian or firefighter injuries.
The fire is under investigation by Chilliwack Fire Department and appears to be accidental.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Chilliwack chicken barn destroyed by fire
READ MORE: Chilliwack fire crews tackle vacant house fire on Rowat Avenue Friday
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