Firefighters battle a massive blaze that broke out late Saturday night at an e-bike shop in Surrey, British Columbia. Surrey Fire Department crews quickly mobilized to contain the fire. The inferno released a toxic cloud of black smoke. High above a dozen alarmed people, bright flames shot out from atop the largely vacant building. The fire, which raged for about six hours, also forced the business’s destruction and caused damage to adjacent businesses.
The Surrey Fire Department dispatched 36 firefighters and operated 12 fire trucks to bring the blaze under control. Assistant Chief of Operations Mike McNamara emphasized just how hard the rapid intensity and operationally challenging materials the fire has produced.
“The lithium, and some of the chemicals inside of them too, they don’t put out very easily,” – Mike McNamara
Firefighting Efforts
When firefighters arrived, they faced immediate, volatile flames that contributed to the fire’s rapid growth. She said the way e-bikes are designed played a role in how quickly the fire traveled.
“So it just becomes difficult for firefighters. And they burn really hot too, so it spreads the fire very quickly,” – Mike McNamara
In the midst of these challenges, firefighters aggressively and strategically fought to keep this fire from spreading any farther into the surrounding communities. These changes were made by advocates who pushed for them! Their efforts paid off! Civilian and firefighter-related injuries were very limited, with only one firefighter requiring treatment for heat exhaustion during the operation.
Damage Assessment
The fire destroyed the e-bike store and caused extensive damage to surrounding businesses. Now, officials are measuring the scope and scale of that damage. They’re figuring out what its full effect on the local economy might be. The original source attribution for this post is unknown.
Witnesses said it was a horrible scene with people jumping from the burning building. Residents living close to the site said they could feel the heat from the fire and watched as large clouds of black smoke poured into the sky.
Community Response
Neighborhood residents overflowed the meeting with concern over the incident, made worse by the fact that it occurred close enough to other businesses and homes. The Surrey Fire Department will continue to release new information as investigations continue and facts become known.
