Three injured in three-alarm apartment fire in New Westminster on Friday afternoon
One resident and two firefighters were taken to hospital in stable condition as crews battled a blaze in the 900-block of Fourth Avenue.
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Firefighters rescued residents from their balconies Friday afternoon as they battled a three-alarm apartment fire in New Westminster.
The blaze broke out around 1:30 p.m. at a building in the 900-block of Fourth Avenue. New Westminster Fire and Rescue Chief Erin Williams said crews initially responded to a first-alarm fire, but when they arrived the situation quickly escalated. "On arrival, there were multiple suites fully involved in fire, with residents on balconies needing tactical rescue," Williams said. "Crews switched to rescue mode immediately, then entered the interior to try and put water onto the fire. But the conditions inside had become so accelerated that they had to pull back and do a defensive attack."
One resident and two New Westminster firefighters were transported to hospital in stable condition. Williams said firefighters rescued multiple residents using ground ladders from several units. Burnaby firefighters were called in to assist, and eight apparatus were on scene including two aerial trucks.
As of 6:30 p.m., Fourth Avenue between Eighth and Tenth Streets remained closed to traffic while crews worked to contain the fire. Williams said firefighters were "putting water on it from all sides to try and protect exposures and to hopefully cool it down." Fire investigators were working to determine the cause and planned to enter the building once it was safe to do so.
New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone described it as a "significant structural fire" in the Brow of the Hill and praised crews for successfully performing balcony rescues.
