Residents of 36 apartments in a downtown Chilliwack building have been displaced by a fire that broke out Wednesday evening. Crews were called to the scene in the 45700 block of Spadina Avenue around 7:20 p.m., according to a Thursday statement from the Chilliwack Fire Department. “While en route, responding crews observed smoke coming from a three-storey apartment building and upgraded the response to a second alarm structure fire,” the statement reads. Crews arrived to find “heavy smoke and fire at the rear of the building,” which residents were “actively evacuating.” Firefighters “initiated an aggressive interior fire attack” and began searching for occupants amid the “challenging fire conditions,” the department said. Eventually, the fire was elevated to an “all-call,” with all six of the department’s halls sending crews to the incident. Approximately 70 firefighters responded, according to the statement. One resident and one firefighter were injured during the blaze and received treatment from B.C. Emergency Health Services, crews said. A cat was also rescued from the building and received “emergency care” on scene before being reunited with its owner. An Emergency Support Services reception centre was established to help displaced residents, according to fire crews. “The building sustained significant fire, smoke, and water damage, with the most extensive damage occurring on the third floor,” the department said, adding that the cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Crews asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Chilliwack RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
