Emergency crews responded to a structure fire around 8:35 a.m. Friday morning, April 18, in Guildford, where one person was transported to the hospital in serious condition, according to BC Emergency Health Services.
Surrey Fire Service responded to a fire in a commercial building on 104 Avenue and 154 Street, which is home to several businesses, said Rich Bodnark, the assistant deputy chief of operations.
The businesses in the building all suffered a "significant loss," Bodnark added. The building had a massage therapist, an education centre, a health clinic and a cellphone repair shop.
"Our thoughts go out to the owners of these businesses," Bodnark said. "The saving grace was that the fire took place on a statutory holiday, so there was less occupancy in the building at the time."
"Upon arrival, crews were fire crews were met with heavy black smoke and flames coming from the roof of the building," Bodnark said. "One patient suffered significant burns and was taken to the hospital by ambulance."
In total, 52 firefighters responded and 22 fire trucks to the three-alarm fire, Bodnark said. Fire crews worked for over seven hours to suppress the fire, he added.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. According to posts on social media, smoke from the fire could be seen from Coquitlam.
Sgt. Tige Pollock, the media relations officer for Surrey Police Service, told the Now-Leader that, as of 11 a.m., there were road closures on 104 Avenue from 152 Street to 156 Street and on 154 from 105 to 103a Avenue.
