Cause of fatal Tsawwassen apartment fire still under investigation

A Delta Fire and Emergency Services crew on scene of the fire July 13 at the Tsawwassen Terrace apartment building.

Philip Raphael photo

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Some of the 60 residents displaced by Friday's fatal blaze at the Tsawwassen Terrace apartment building have moved to temporary accommodations at the Coast Tsawwassen Inn.

Century Group owns both properties and has offered to find rooms at the hotel for tenants of Tsawwassen Terrace.

Michel Latendresse, deputy chief in charge of Delta Fire's emergency management program, recounted the disoriented residents' arrival at the South Delta Recreation Centre just after 2 a.m. last Friday morning (July 13).

"The day of the event we opened a reception centre where people could collect themselves and be registered and recorded," he explained.

Latendresse noted that Tsawwassen Terrace—a two-storey, 40-unit complex—is a mixed housing building occupied by seniors, families and people with disabilities.

In the three days following the fire, victims were offered food, shelter and clothing resources through Delta Emergency Social Services.

"Those residents are being taken care of from this point on by Century Group," said Latendresse.

Meanwhile, the blaze—which killed one occupant of the building—is still under investigation, said Delta Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Cal Traversy.

"The autopsy has not been completed yet. We are still dealing with next of kin," added Traversy.

Delta Police Department's criminal investigation branch is still on the cordoned-off scene at 16th Ave. and 55th St. collecting evidence and working with Delta Fire to determine the cause of the fire.

Ken Sim, deputy chief of operations, Delta Fire and Emergency Services, said crews responding to the two-alarm blaze described an intense fire coming out of one suite which spread to the adjoining units on either side and to four suites above.

In total, 13 suites were affected by fire or water damage.

"It was a good save because it was a very hot, intense fire when crews responded," Sim said.