A man in his twenties was taken to the hospital by air ambulance with critical injuries after a residential fire in Surrey, British Columbia, on Friday evening. Jeff Klaassen, the fire chief of Surrey, reported that the man suffered second and third-degree burns. Additionally, two other individuals were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene by B.C. Emergency Health Services.
The incident occurred at a residence on Jersey Drive in Cloverdale, prompting a swift response from 25 firefighters and 12 fire trucks around 4:40 p.m. Klaassen mentioned that an explosion was reported before the fire crew arrived, causing significant structural damage to the house.
Despite the structural damage, Klaassen noted that the fire was contained relatively quickly by the responding firefighters. Nearby resident Joshua Parkinson recounted hearing the explosion upon returning home from work, describing the event as shocking and impactful, with reports of the blast being felt up to three blocks away.
Authorities from the Surrey Police Service confirmed their presence at the scene and assured that there were no suspicions of foul play regarding the fire incident. A subsequent police press release updated on Saturday indicated that the injured man was expected to recover, although he remained under medical care at the hospital.
Investigations into the cause of the explosion and fire were ongoing, with the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit leading the inquiry. The press release urged anyone with relevant information to contact the SPS non-emergency line or Crime Stoppers, quoting the assigned file number for reference.