‘It just spread’: Witness describes fast-moving fire that destroyed 4 Surrey homes
Posted August 10, 2023 4:38 pm.
Last Updated August 10, 2023 4:39 pm.
Investigators in Surrey are still sifting through what remains of a massive fire in the East Clayton neighbourhood Wednesday night.
The fire destroyed four homes and displaced at least 20 people in the area of 72 Avenue and 192 Street.
“It moved fast and it was windy here yesterday too. So not only the wind blowing the flames, but it was amazing how fast it spread,” explained Barry Moore, who lives down the street from where the flames erupted.
“Within 20 minutes, three of (the homes) were on fire and burning good. By the time the fire department got set up and that, the fourth had already started.”
Related article: 20 people displaced in multi-home Surrey fire
Firefighters say initial reports suggested the fire started in a garage, though a cause remains unclear at this time.
In addition to the four homes destroyed by the flames, another several nearby were damaged.
“It just spread,” Moore recalled of the fire. “It went from one to the next, to the next, and then went from the sides up into the roofs of the other houses, and then they caught them. By the time the fire department got here, three (homes) were already up in flames.”
Bystander drone footage captures the devastation from last nights fire. However, it also demonstrates how much worse it could have been, if crews were not able to contain further spread. pic.twitter.com/I3jKFtQep8
— Surrey Fire Fighters (@Local1271) August 10, 2023
Calls to CityNews about the fire started coming in just after 6 p.m. Wednesday.
At the time, Deputy Chief Shelley Morris said about 33 firefighters and 10 trucks responded to the area, with no injuries reported.
-With files from James Paracy and OMNI News
