About 150 people displaced by major fire in New Westminster
A 13-hour blaze at 905 4th Avenue forced evacuations from two apartment buildings Friday, with firefighters rescuing residents from balconies.
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About 150 residents have been displaced from their homes after a major fire tore through an apartment building in New Westminster on Friday, July 10. The blaze at 905 4th Avenue — near 10th Street — trapped some residents on balconies and required firefighters to battle the flames for roughly 13 hours.
New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services responded at approximately 1:30 p.m. when crews found several suites already on fire. Firefighters used ground ladders to rescue multiple people from balconies while others entered the building to help evacuate residents. The fire quickly escalated to a third-alarm response, bringing in off-duty New Westminster crews and firefighters from Burnaby.
Two firefighters and one resident were taken to hospital with injuries. The City said all residents have been accounted for. Firefighters brought the main blaze under control at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Saturday but remained on scene throughout the day to extinguish hotspots.
The affected building contains 42 apartment units. A neighbouring building with an estimated 20 to 30 units was also evacuated as a precaution. Emergency Support Services volunteers opened a reception centre at Century House on Friday evening and arranged transportation for displaced residents, with 18 volunteers assisting from Delta, Vancouver, and New Westminster.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. People living near the fire are being advised to keep windows closed while smoke remains in the area.
