Crews respond to second New West apartment fire one block away from last one
Just 20 days after a fire ravaged an apartment building in New West, crews responded to a second fire that occurred just a block away.
On July 30, a fire broke out at a New West apartment building on 5th Avenue, near Ninth Street.
The building is literally just a 20- to 30-second walk from the previous fire, which left an apartment building in ruins.
The New Westminster Police Department (NWPD) said that on July 30, at around 6 p.m., officers were working in the 800 block of 5th Avenue when they became aware of an apartment fire nearby.
“As officers approached the building, they could see numerous older adults leaning outside of their windows in an effort to avoid the smoke,” NWPD said.
NWPD says that officers entered the burning building alongside colleagues from the New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service. Police helped 15 residents make their way to safety.
“Several residents were unable to move and required multiple first responders to carry them to safety. Two officers went to the hospital for smoke inhalation but have since been released,” NWPD said.
NWPD Sergeant Andrew Leaver commended the work of officers, saying that the officers’ actions “reflect the very best of policing.”
“Their quick response and selfless efforts helped these residents escape an incredibly dangerous situation.”
Thankfully, the fire didn’t destroy the building like the previous fire, and the extent of the damage was minimal. The building that caught on fire is also under active renovations.
Residents posted about the fire on the New West subreddit, with one person reflecting on the recent blazes, saying, “Scary these last few weeks. Thankful for the fire dept being quick.”
Someone else asked, “Why is New West so flammable?”
There are multiple answers to that question. One being that a lot of these apartment buildings in New West are old and don’t have fire-suppressant systems. A lot of the buildings are also wood-framed, which is perfect fuel for a fire. The fire earlier this month burned for over 24 hours.
Daily Hive was on the scene, and crews were battling the blaze late into Thursday evening. There was a large mixed response, including NWPD officers and fire crews.
Latest on the previous apartment building
Amir Ali/Daily Hive
Due to the fire from earlier in July, several pet owners are still looking for their missing cats.
Crews are also engaged in the early steps of cleaning the area out, which is still being monitored by security.
Amir Ali/Daily Hive