Surrey Fire Service says Jack’s Public House is a “total loss” after a suspicious overnight fire caused the roof to collapse. Witnesses reported seeing someone run out of the building.
“Police Dog Service attended the scene and conducted a track and search of the area but were unable to locate this individual,” Surrey RCMP Sergeant Chad Greig said.
About an hour later, an ambulance crew were at a residence in Guildford helping a 36-year-old man. They took him to hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries.
Surrey Battalion Chief Brian Carmichael told the Now-Leader reports of an explosion at the pub came in just before 3 a.m.
“Upon arrival, crews entered the building and there was smoke,” he said of the building, located near the intersection of 152nd Street and Fraser Highway. “Shortly after, flames broke out through the roof.”
It became a defensive attack and was upgraded to a second-alarm fire, Carmichael added.
(The scene after a fire destroyed Jack’s Public House on April 11. Photo: Lauren Collins)
Crews fought the blaze for three house and by 6:30 a.m., it was completely knocked down.
Jack’s Public House is located 9082 152nd St.
Greig said investigators have “deemed the explosion and fire as suspicious.
“The Surrey RCMP General Investigation Unit has taken conduct of the investigation and will continue to investigate the matter with the assistance of Surrey Fire Department Investigators,” Greig said.
Police ask anyone with information to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Meantime, JAK’S Beer Wine & Spirits, which shared the building with the pub but is not connected, issued a statement Thursday.
“First and foremost we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Surrey Fire Department for their quick response to the fire affecting the building that JAK’S Beer Wine & Spirits shares with its neighbour, Jack’s Public House in Surrey,” said Tim Dumas, director of marketing and sales for the store. “As it’s still early in the investigation, we don’t have any additional information but will support the important work investigators are doing to determine the cause of this fire.”
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