‘I’m immensely angry’: Langley, B.C. building repairs still unfinished after 2020 fire

Condo owners in Langley, B.C., remain in limbo nearly two and a half years after a fire badly damaged the building.

A massive fire broke out at the complex at 56 Avenue and 198 Street, and a column of black smoke could be seen from kilometres away.

The building is still uninhabitable and the timeline for finishing the repair work keeps getting moved back.

Homeowners told Global News they were told repairs could be finished in 2021, then it was pushed back to May 2022.

But now it is 2023 and they said they just want to move home.

“We currently don’t know when the building is supposed to be finished with,” condo owner Crystal Tisseur said. “Our last update was, ‘We can’t make our target of March of 2023,’ and with no end date in sight.”

0:39 Langley firefighters respond to massive condo fire Friday night

Canstar Fire and Flood is responsible for the renovations and fixes.

In a statement to Global News, president Ji Yoon said, “the fire damage was extensive and required significant repairs, which have been complicated by the large size of the complex and supply chain issues.

“We understand the frustration and inconvenience this has caused, and we apologize for the delay.”

Condo owner Vicky Tyl said Canstar is just scrambling for excuses.

“I’m immensely angry,” she said. “And kind of flabbergasted. It’s hard enough being displaced for something like this, but then to be displaced for two and a half years and consistently get pushback and pushback and not having good reasons for it anymore.”

In another blow, while residents cannot live in the building, their mortgage payments and strata fees continue.

“We also have to pay owner’s insurance, just in case something else happens during the restoration that we need coverage for,” Tyl explained.

1:28 Langley firefighters respond to massive condo fire Friday night

Global News asked Canstar for a completion date but they did not provide one, only saying it would be as soon as possible.

In the statement, they said “we have been working closely with insurance adjusters and contractors to ensure that all the necessary repairs are made and that the complex is brought up to code. We have also been communicating with the Property Management Company, the Insurance company and the tenants to keep them informed of the progress of the work.”

— with files from Travis Prasad