Surrey fire breaks out in strip mall; deemed ‘accidental’
Posted January 30, 2024 6:24 am.
Last Updated January 30, 2024 7:48 pm.
Police in Surrey say a fire that broke out just after midnight Tuesday in the city’s Guildford neighbourhood has been deemed accidental.
Earlier, police said initial investigations suggested the fire was suspicious. However, that has since been ruled out, per an update from the RCMP.
The Surrey RCMP says it received a report from the Surrey Fire Department of a fire in a strip mall near 148th Street and 108th Avenue.
“Upon police attendance, several businesses in the strip mall were engulfed and being contained by fire crews on scene. All persons who were patronising the businesses had been successfully evacuated and there were no apparent injuries,” police said in a statement.
Firefighters say the worst of the fire destroyed a coin laundry business inside the strip mall.
The person of interest who was temporarily held in custody has since been “ruled out.”
Now, all that’s left is debris, shards and rubble, after the blaze that firefighters say appeared to be in the roof of the building.
According to Salem Yousif, a nearby business owner, the fire was started by a man outside of the strip mall, who then tried to help put it out.
“He says ‘I need water! I need water!’ we throw water on it, but it was too late, the fire was started you know, so we call 911,” he said.
Rupinder Singh, a customer of the coin laundry, says they’ll miss the business.
“A couple of weeks, maybe three weeks ago, I was here. Got my laundry done. Nice couple, the couple that owned it,” they said.
Meanwhile, those who work in the area say they’re just thankful no one was hurt.
“What can I do, it happened, at least with the stuff and not with the human,” Yousif said.
Anyone with information, including dash cam footage, is urged to contact the RCMP at 604-599-0502, and quote file # 2024-14033.
-With files from Kate Walker and Pippa Norman
