Firefighters and the Canadian Coast Guard responded to a barge fire in Surrey, British Columbia, on April 3 that produced significant smoke and prompted air quality monitoring in the surrounding area.
According to regional officials, the fire occurred on a barge near the Riverview Bridge, which connects Surrey and New Westminster. Authorities said the blaze generated considerable smoke, prompting Metro Vancouver Regional District to monitor local air quality while suppression efforts continued.
Surrey Fire Services said crews were dispatched at approximately 11 p.m. April 2, after reports of a commercial structure fire. When responders arrived, they found a barge on the river fully involved in heavy flames and smoke. Due to the scale of the incident, the response was escalated to a second alarm, bringing 22 fire suppression personnel and multiple engines to the scene.
A fireboat was used to fight the blaze from the water using deck-mounted monitors while land-based crews supported operations from shore. Officials said the barge was loaded with scrap metal parts, and firefighters began removing material from the vessel in order to locate and extinguish the seat of the fire.
Authorities reported no injuries related to the incident, and the cause of the fire remained under investigation as of April 6.
