Fire at Surrey recovery house leaves residents homeless

A two-alarm blaze at a Surrey recovery house has left several residents homeless.

Shortly after 12:30 am PT Wednesday, Surrey firefighters received a number of reports of a house fire at the corner of 57A Avenue and 168 Street.

According to Battalion Chief Gary McHarg crews arrived to a "heavily involved" fire at the back of the house, with flames stretching through the roof.

The nine men who were living in the now uninhabitable house all escaped without injury, he said.

In a matter of seconds it just went up

Resident John Prevost said the recovery house had been his home for years. 

He was one of the first to notice the heavy smoke and got his roommates out of the house safely, he said.

"I'm not really sure the cause of the fire. It was thick smoke, is what I see when I walked down the stairwell, and that was it, I just kept grabbing guys and running in and out."

Standing in the cold early Wednesday morning, Prevost wasn't sure what the group would do for shelter.

"I'm not really sure what's going on. We're trying to figure out a place to stay as of right now, so we're still trying to figure that out."

Chief McHarg said the fire department was trying to get a hold of the recovery house manager, and suggested that the group of displaced men may find a temporary home at a recovery house in Langley.

He said they're not yet sure what caused the fire, but an inspector investigate later today.