New Westminster apartment building evacuated due to early morning fire

New Westminster apartment building evacuated due to early morning fire

Crews spent hours battling an apartment fire in New West, nearby residents reported heavy smoke

A New Westminster apartment building was evacuated as crews battled flames for hours Sunday morning.

On Sunday afternoon, crews remained on scene putting out remaining hotspots and monitoring conditions.

Fire tore through a low-rise apartment building at 37 Agnes Street, located in the downtown area of New Westminster near the new stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge, with approximately 45 firefighters on scene.

Fire Chief Erin Williams said crews first responded at 3:45 a.m. PT, arriving to heavy flames from a third floor balcony.

"Crews reported heavy smoke and fire," Williams said, noting the area was still quite smoky later on in the morning.

"The fire had extended into the interior of the building and had impacted several suites on the third floor."

Burnaby and New Westminster firefighters are working to put out a fire on Agnes Street in New Westminster on Sunday morning. (Nav Rahi/CBC)

Williams said crews evacuated the building, including several people with mobility challenges and a pet.

"A search was done for the entire building and all residents were evacuated," Williams said.

He said all residents were evacuated to a bus where they were taken to an emergency reception centre that has been set up for displaced residents at the təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre located on East 6th Avenue.

Williams said the fire was upgraded to a third alarm, and Burnaby firefighters joined to help.

He said paramedics were on scene, and no injuries have currently been reported.

The City of New Westminster said in a social media post Royal Avenue between Fourth Street and McBride Boulevard is closed in all directions, and it is asking people to avoid the area.

Williams said crews will investigate once the fire is out and it is safe to enter the building.

Fire crews are pictured responding to a Sunday morning fire on Agnes Street in New Westminster. (Lory Egeland)

Lory Egeland, who lives about a block away from where the fire is burning, says she woke in the early morning to the smell of smoke.

From her window she has watched the firefighters spraying water on the flames for hours.

“They’ve been pummelling this thing,” she said.

“It’s a little nerve wracking and I’m just really sad for people especially on Thanksgiving that they’re going to be homeless."

Michelle Gomez is a writer and reporter at CBC Vancouver. You can contact her at michelle.gomez@cbc.ca.