An apartment building in Abbotsford was gutted by a fire early Sunday morning.
The fire is not completely out, according to residents who are still nearby their homes at DeLair Court, on DeLair Road.
“Still smoldering,” tweeted one resident named Tiffany. “It’s completely devastating.”
The entire roof of the building is gone and fire crews are still on scene. So far, there have been no reports of any injuries. There are some residents posting to social media that they are searching for their pets.
Residents were taken in at the Salvation Army’s Cascade Community Church on DeLair Road, and given shelter and food for the evening.
At noon on Sunday, the Abbotsford Fire Department was still on scene. The Abbotsford Fire Fighters Association made a brief post on their Facebook page, saying multiple factors have made it a tough fire contain; tenants had to be evacuated, the cold and wind, and rapid fire growth.
“Early this morning your Abbotsford fire fighters attended an apartment fire on Delair rd. First arriving crews saw flames extending from the ground floor through the roof of the building,” they said.
firehall
Sitting on the floor in the dark in a church gymnasium while my apartment building burns. #gutted #fire #abbotsford pic.twitter.com/QUihdhZpqQ
— Tiffany (@auntietippy) February 14, 2021
While just one building suffered fire damage, a second building in the complex was also evacuated and has smoke damage, says one resident.
Bryan Klassen said he woke up to a fire alarm at about 2 a.m. and was evacuated. Immediately upon exiting his building he was ushered to the church by firefighters. By that time, fire trucks were there and the building was completely engulfed in flames, he said.
He said there are about 5o or 60 units per building, and another source says there are anywhere from 150 to 200 affected by the fire.
Many are rallying efforts in Facebook groups to help the fire victims.
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A fire tore through Delair Court in Abbotsford in the early morning of Feb. 14, 2021. (John Morrow/ Black Press)
A fire tore through Delair Court in Abbotsford in the early morning of Feb. 14, 2021. (John Morrow/ Black Press)
A fire tore through Delair Court in Abbotsford in the early morning of Feb. 14, 2021. (John Morrow/ Black Press)
