Byrne Road warehouse fire started accidentally
The massive warehouse fire on Byrne Road started accidentally Monday afternoon when two workers were cutting metal with a torch, says the Burnaby Fire Department.
By the time fire crews arrived at 5820 Byrne Rd. shortly before 2 p.m., a gas line had ruptured and was feeding the blaze, says assistant fire chief administration Tom Foreman.
It was well over an hour before a Fortis gas employee was able to shut off the gas to the three-alarm fire, which was fought by 50 firefighters and 15 fire trucks. Traffic on a section of Byrne Road between Marine Way and Marine Drive was blocked off for several hours.
The warehouse, which was adjacent to a movie studio, served as storage for movie equipment and sets, according to media reports. The building was destroyed.
There was so much damage and the warehouse was so structurally unstable that fire crews had to call in a backhoe to tear down what was still standing after the fire was extinguished, Foreman says.
wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.