Firefighters have doused a blaze at a problem property in Horseshoe Bay after a column of flame and smoke lit up the sky early Thursday morning.
At around 6:45 a.m., West Vancouver Fire & Rescue responded to calls of a fire at 6431 Chatham St.
Four fire vehicles attended the address and found that a shed had become completely overcome with flames. Firefighters on scene assessed the blaze and called in additional crews, said WVFR Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Duncan.
But there was no risk to the house or the surrounding properties, and firefighters quickly knocked down the blaze, he said.
Chatham Street was completely closed off near the affected address for much of Thursday morning, but traffic has since reopened to a single lane, Duncan said.
Investigators are on the scene looking into the cause of the fire, he added.
Property 'not supposed to be occupied'
It’s not the first time firefighters have been called to the property. On Dec. 1, 2023, six residents were displaced after flames erupted from a second-floor bedroom. An investigation determined the fire was caused by "smoking materials" in the room, Duncan said.
The home was boarded up after that fire, and is not supposed to be occupied now, he said. “This property is on West Vancouver’s radar, with bylaws, police and fire involved."
Despite the home being boarded up, someone has been staying on the property in the meantime, Duncan added.
“In their world they have the ability to be there, but not in the municipality’s world,” he said.
North Shore News has reached out to District of West Vancouver and local police for comment.
