Coquitlam realtor still locked out of business one week after fire
Posted January 5, 2025 2:34 pm.
Last Updated January 5, 2025 4:04 pm.
A Coquitlam realtor says she still does not know the extent of damage to her office after a destructive fire at her complex last weekend.
Emily Oh is the owner of Emily Oh Realty and says she has yet to see inside her office or find out when she can return.
“I went to the Coquitlam RCMP and I went to City Hall and no one is available there to talk to me,” said Oh. “The people who are in charge of the case [are] coming back on Monday, so I’m going to talk to them on Monday.”
Police tape and a metal gate now surround the business complex at 341 North Road. The fire broke out in the early hours of Dec. 29, causing a large section of the front of the building to collapse. Several businesses, including a travel agency and a cafe, are now blocked off to the public.
“There’s a security guard….police watching the property anyway and there are iron bars there, so you know I don’t think anyone can get in,” said Oh.
Oh says she knows her office has water and smoke damage, but she has no idea how much it’s going to cost to repair. She says she is very concerned about the brokerage documents left inside.
“Computers, we can fix it up….but, I need to keep the documents. I need to see if the documents are damaged or not.”
While she does have a second office to utilize for her clients, Oh says she misses her Coquitlam office the most. She hopes by Monday, the building’s tenants will at least be able to get into their businesses and get their valuables out.
“I need to see what kind of damage I have in my office, right, so they let me even for 10 minutes.”
In a statement, Coquitlam RCMP Const. John Graham says they continue to investigate the fire.
“We encourage any witnesses or persons with information about the cause of the fire to contact the Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 and quote file number 2024-34159,” said Graham.
