WATCH ABOVE: Aerials of the Port Coquitlam fire.
UPDATE (Aug.5, 2015): The investigation concluded that the fire is not considered suspicious. The fire started in an electric towel warmer in the barber shop and spread up through the ceiling to the rest of the building. The building has now been turned over to the owners and their insurance companies to begin the restoration process.
Previous story:
Fire ripped through at least four businesses on Shaughnessy Street in Port Coquitlam this morning.
The fire started in the lower level of a barber shop in the 2600-block of Shaughnessy and quickly spread. The Urban Man Cave, a jewellery shop, a pawn shop and the barber shop are destroyed. An optometrist’s office and a law office are also affected. The second floor of the building where these businesses were located has also collapsed and crews are assessing the extent of the damage.
Rami Edwan, who owns the barber shop called Rami’s cuts, was still trying to build up his business. “So all of these memories, they’re just burned,” he said.
Joel Rothman, who owns the Little Eye Shop Optometry, said he was glad no one was in the building at the time. “Now I’m thinking about starting again, rebuilding, going from there,” he said.
A number of other businesses and residences, including City Hall, were also evacuated due to the heavy smoke in the area.
The first call about the fire came in at 6:52 a.m. when someone reported seeing the smoke. It was about two-and-a-half to three hours before fire crews could contain the blaze.
Luckily, no one was in the businesses at the time and there were no injuries.
Randy Adams, who lives across the street, said the building was quickly engulfed in flames and smoke.
“There’s nothing left of the building essentially,” he said. “It’s just a shell, the whole roof has collapsed.”
Shaughnessy Street has now reopened.
WATCH: Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore and fire cheif Nick Delmonico on the fire:
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
More aerials of the fire:
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