Residents evacuated after New Westminster apartment blaze

Residents of a three-storey apartment complex in New Westminster have been evacuated after an early morning fire.

New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services chief Erin Williams said emergency services were called to the building at 37 Agnes Street at 3:45 a.m. Sunday.

“On arrival, crews reported heavy fire on a third-floor balcony that extended to the interior of the suite and the fire was upgraded to a second alarm fire,” Williams said.

“Crews attacked the fire from the exterior while firefighters entered the building and made their way to the third floor. Interior crews reported several units were involved. The fire was upgraded to a third alarm fire with mutual aid requested from the Burnaby Fire Department.”

All residents in the partially-destroyed 24-unit strata complex were evacuated.

Those residents are now at the stal̕əw̓asəm Aquatic and Community Centre at 65 E Sixth Avenue.

Royal Avenue is closed in both directions between Fourth Street and McBride Boulevard.

Sgt. Andrew Leaver, of the New Westminster Police Department, said the cause of the fire was not suspicious.

With file from Sobia Moman

dcarrigg@postmedia.com