Port Coquitlam's core reopens after blaze collapses four buildings

Downtown Port Coquitlam —including City Hall— had begun to reopen on Thursday afternoon after flames scorched four buildings and caused millions of dollars damage earlier in the day.

"Four (buildings) have essentially collapsed," said Port Coquitlam Fire Chief Nick Delmonico, who believes flames started in a barber shop.

Two barber shops, a jewellery shop, an optometry business and potentially law offices were affected, according to the chief.

Officials expect streets and untouched businesses to re-open by mid-afternoon.

"A lot of smoke and displaced people and closing of City Hall," said Delmonico, who praised tired firefighters for a good plan to use fire breaks to protect heritage buildings if the flames kept travelling.

"The firefighters have been doing this for about 17 hours as they just came from another fire."

Onlookers lamented scorched workplaces near Shaughnessy and Elgin streets after the flames were doused. 

Bobby Jeffers was especially torn looking at the remains of Rami's Cuts, a beloved barber shop destroyed in the blaze.

"I'm not a thief. I'm not a drug addict anymore because of Rami," he said. "This guy has astronomically changed my life."

​Jeffers says the owner, originally from Palestine, turned many lives around by trading barber lessons for English lessons, or just offering up cash or help to people in need.

"I've been crying. It's emotional," said Jeffers. "Rami took people off the street, who didn't have any skills. I was a wreck man and Rami took me in off the street and taught me how cut hair."

Rami Adwan said he tries to help people with his business, because "Canada helped me."

He'd just updated his storefront weeks ago.

'Difficult to fight' fire

The early morning fire caused millions in damage, the fire chief estimated. It also forced the evacuation of nearly a 100 homes and City Hall. 

"There was a massive amount of smoke here," said Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore. "It kind of smelled like a forest fire."

City Hall will reopen mid-afternoon.

"We know that it started on the lowers level and being a wooden building it went right through the middle into some common areas and then up into the wood attic, and the fire spread from there," Moore said.

Four commercial businesses on the ground floor were damaged, and several office spaces in upper floors.

No injuries have been reported.

Crews remain on scene to assess pockets of damage and to make sure nothing re-kindles.