Residents of 160 units had to be evacuated quickly after a large fire broke out in a building in Abbotsford, British Columbia, early Tuesday morning.
Firefighters were called after 6 a.m. in a fire on Cardinal Avenue, the Abbotsford Fire Department said.
Four hours later, 51 firefighters, including personnel from Langley and Mission, were still trying to control the fire that forced residents to evacuate in addition to nearby homes and businesses.
We will have a lot of people who need to moveunderline the head of the Fire department, Darren Lee.
Around 10 a.m., teams at the site were still working to put out the fire on the roof and limit the spread to the upper floors of the building, he added. Firefighters also tried to rescue pets that were still trapped inside.
Gas was cut off at the building location, FortisBC said.
Abbotsford police are asking residents who need to move to register at a reception center built into the church Northview on the street Downes to get emergency help.
Passersby are urged to avoid the area, which is located just north of the mall Highstreet in the sector of Mount Lehman.
Source: Radio-Canada