A resident of a South Surrey farmhouse was “very lucky” to suffer just minor burns in a late-afternoon fire that “pretty much destroyed” the home Monday.
Deputy Chief Dan Barnscher said the home at 19103 8 Ave. was “fully involved” when firefighters arrived on the scene just after 4:30 p.m.
“Very extensive damage to the farmhouse itself,” Barnscher said. “There was one very minor injury to a tenant of the farmhouse… to a very small area maybe the size of a toonie on one of his arms.”
Barnscher said the blaze sparked a flurry of calls to the fire service. As the home is located in an area without fire hydrants, several tanker trucks were used to shuttle water to battle the blaze, he said; 18 firefighters were dispatched.
A fire investigator was on the scene Tuesday morning to try and determine the cause. The results were not available by Peace Arch News press deadline.
Barnscher said given the extent of the damage, it’s possible the cause may remain a mystery.
“On something like this, it’s sometimes very difficult… to come up with a conclusive answer.”