Two people were injured when a fire destroyed a horse barn late Monday afternoon, Sept. 18, in Langley on 3rd Avenue east of 216th Street, close to the Canada-U.S. border.
Township of Langley Assistant Fire Chief Dale Steeple told the Langley Advance Times one person was treated for their injuries at the scene, and one had to be transported to hospital by air ambulance.
Steeple said crews were called to the 21900 block of 3rd Avenue around 4:30 p.m. and arrived to find a fully involved barn on fire.
To fully extinguish it took some time due to Fortis having to turn the gas supply off, Steeple said.
“Crews were on scene quite a while waiting for the gas to be shut off in order to fully extinguish the fire.”
About 35 firefighters and three engines responded, and water was transported to the site by tender trucks.
Steeple said when the metal roof came down, it complicated the fire fight.
“Once it collapses, once it goes down, then the water doesn’t penetrate anything,” Steeple told the Langley Advance Times.
An excavator was called to remove the metal roofing to get at the sawdust and other materials underneath.
Crews remained at the scene until about midnight, Steeple said.
At the site, a horse boarding and sales business, it appeared the fire had completely destroyed the barn and at least four vehicles and a trailer near the structure.
On Tuesday morning, some residents of the area were searching for a missing horse that fled during the fire.
Langley RCMP said the blaze did not appear to be suspicious.
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