SURREY — Seven fire trucks and thirty firefighters were on scene at an overnight apartment fire in Surrey early Sunday morning.
The call to fire crews came at around 2:20 a.m. for the fire at 13550 Hilton Road, said Battalion Chief Ed Wells.
Early responders reported seeing flames shooting through the roof of the four-level apartment building from two blocks away.
"It [the fire] went to second alarm then to third alarm which brought approximately seven trucks and 30 firefighters," said Wells.
The building was evacuated immediately and crews had the fire, which appeared to have started somewhere on the exterior of the upper floor, under control an hour later.
Wells said it has been a salvage operation since.
"At this point the building is secure. No occupants can go back for the foreseeable future."
The residents of the apartment have been moved to the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre and are being assessed by support workers for their individual needs.
The fourth floor of the building received the most damage when the roof collapsed while the lower floors suffered water damage.
The cause of the fire is not yet known but Wells said it is not suspicious.
Investigators were on scene but due to the instability of the building an investigation will not happen until Tuesday or Wednesday next week.
matt@mattlaw.ca