Rescue in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

Firefighters had to rescue several tenants from an early morning apartment fire in Maple Ridge early Saturday including a woman surrounded by flames who was plucked from from the third floor.

“In my 30 years of doing this, this was the closest call we’ve ever had,” said Maple Ridge Fire Chief Dane Spence of the dramatic rescue.

Flames burn through the roof of a four-building apartment complex in Maple Ridge. Fire Chief Dane Spence said the call initially came in as an explosion. Two units already were on fire when crews arrived. (CBC)

The call initially came in as an explosion around 6 a.m. PT at an apartment complex at 2292 122 Avenue.

By the time firefighters got there, Spence said two units were already on fire and a second alarm was immediately called.

Spence said firefighters could see people trapped on the building’s third floor balconies unable to get out because of the smoke.

However, he said, firefighters managed to get everyone to safety.

One firefighter had to be taken to hospital after twisting his ankle on debris.

Firefighters were still on scene as of 10 a.m. PT mopping out the remains of the blaze.

Residents who were evacuated have been placed on a bus.

About Author

countyfiretactics

Curt Isakson is a 35 year veteran of the fire service. Curt is currently a Battalion Chief for Escambia County Fire Rescue. Previously worked 9 years with the Pensacola Fire Department where he was assigned as the Company Officer on Rescue 31. Curt’s fire service experiences started at a young age as a Junior firefighter with the Midway Fire Protection District and rose through the ranks to Captain. He has worked in volunteer, career, and combination departments.

Curt has held all ranks up to Battalion Chief and been assigned to operations, training, inspections, and was Chief of Special Operations for 7 years. Curt owns and operates County Fire Tactics that covers a very diverse range of fire service topics, as well as Firefighter Rescues, a site that documents rescues made by firefighters around the country.

He has annual contracts with numerous departments to provide standardized monthly training for these departments that respond daily together under an automatic aid agreement. Curt teaches nationally to include; FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Orlando Fire Conference, Atlanta Fire Conference, Bowling Green State University, and owns/operates the annual HROC, COBC, WOTF, CFT ODP on Pensacola Beach. He is a Florida Certified Fire Officer, Instructor, Inspector, Arson, and FLUSAR.

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