One person has been taken to the Intensive Care Unit in Vancouver General Hospital after a massive blaze on 4th Avenue in downtown Squamish.
Squamish Fire responded to the scene at the 38000 block of Fourth Avenue around 2 a.m., according to Chief Bill Stoner.
The early morning fire began in a small white cottage on 4th Avenue, which sustained the most damage.
Two people were in the home when the fire broke out. The female resident from the white house was taken to Squamish Hospital with serious injuries, and has since been transferred to Vancouver General Hospital by BC Ambulance where she remains in the ICU.
Flames also spread to a neighbouring home to the left of the fire, which sustained extensive damage.
“That was the main house, there was some exposure on this side [of the second house] that got into the attic, but the loses appear to have stopped there,” he said.
Eight people who were in the second house exited before the flames began to spread. The family and tenant are uninjured and are currently being assisted by Red Cross.
A large crowd of neighbours was gathered on scene at 3 a.m. while fire crews continued to battle small flames in the white house and smoke.
All four companies responded to the massive blaze.
As of 9 a.m. on Thursday RCMP and Fire Services were still on scene. Today fire investigators will be determining the origin and cause of the fire. The road between Third Avenue between Winnipeg and Victoria is closed to the public.
The Squamish Chief will update as more information becomes available.
– With files from Steven Chua
