One person was injured in a shop fire on Thursday (Feb. 29), Chilliwack Fire Department officials confirmed.
Crews were called to the structure fire at the southern end of Upper Prairie Road in the eastern side of Chilliwack at 9:17 a.m.
Minutes after crews were paged out to the call on the sprawling property that contains Hillside Stables, columns of smoke could be seen rising in the air from the other side of the city.
It was first thought to be a barn fire, and then the building was described as an 80x40 machine shop with an RV inside. The building that caught fire was at the north end of the property.
By 10 a.m., thick smoke could still be seen billowing from the building, and police were asking people to stay away for safety reasons.
Krista Minar, assistant fire chief, said that efforts were focused on containing the fire from the outside, until an excavator could “stabilize the site.” She added that the equipment operator’s prompt and thorough response were instrumental in minimizing the damage.
The person who was injured was not seen by paramedics, as they were taken to the hospital before emergency responders arrived.
Thirty firefighters from Halls 1, 2, 4 and 6 responded to the blaze, supported by RCMP, BC Hydro and paramedics.
The Chilliwack Fire Department is currently investigating the cause of the fire.
READ MORE: Auto body shop burned