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VIDEO: Cat escapes Langley residential fire

Required oxygen from pet ventilator carried by fire crews
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Passerby Lucas Wilde cradled a cat that was administered oxygen after it escaped a multi-unit residential fire in Langley near 216th St. and 56th Avenue on Sunday, Feb. 20. No serious injuries were reported. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

A cat required oxygen after a Sunday morning house fire damaged the top floor of a multi-unit residential building in Langley on 56th Avenue east of 216th Street.

When passerby Manjit Josan saw the flames, he pounded on doors to make sure any people inside were aware of the fire.

“The cat was inside,” Josan said.

Josan said the cat got out of the house, where it ended up in the temporary care of Good Samaritans Lucas and Stephanie Wilde, with Lucas cradling the cat while oxygen was administered using one of the pet oxygen masks carried by Langley Township fire crews.

A multi-unit residential building was damaged by fire in Langley near 216th St. and 56th Avenue on Sunday, Feb. 20. No serious injuries were reported, with the exception of a cat that was administered oxygen. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
A multi-unit residential building was damaged by fire in Langley near 216th St. and 56th Avenue on Sunday, Feb. 20. No serious injuries were reported, with the exception of a cat that was administered oxygen. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

“I think we should call it Smokey,” Lucas commented.

Christine Simpson was one of the first on the scene.

She called 9-1-1 when she and her husband spotted the flames while driving down 216th Street.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Man escapes from burning barn in Aldergrove

“We turned around and came right back and he’s [my husband] like, ‘let’s help this family out.’ We all ran down the driveway to help the family.”

The cat was taken to Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) for a medical assessment.

Langley Township assistant fire chief Dale Steeple said multiple calls about the fire came in shortly after 11 a.m.

As the first crew was heading down the hill toward the location, they saw the smoke and called in a second alarm for more assistance.

A total of 22 firefighters and multiple vehicles responded.

Police and ambulance were also on hand.

Steeple said crews did a “quick knockdown” of the blaze and determined all residents were accounted for.

“It was a good save,” Steeple commented.

He added the Good Samaritans who responded when they saw the fire and smoke deserve praise.

One resident was taken to hospital for assessment, but no serious injuries were reported.

Cause of the fire is under investigation, but appears to be accidental.

Multiple fire crews responded to a fire at a multi-unit residential building in Langley near 216th St. and 56th Avenue on Sunday, Feb. 20. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
Multiple fire crews responded to a fire at a multi-unit residential building in Langley near 216th St. and 56th Avenue on Sunday, Feb. 20. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

Ten people who lived in the building were displaced by the blaze.

All were being looked after by disaster assistance officials, Steeple said.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Family, dogs escape as South Langley home gutted by fire

READ ALSO: Fire destroys mobile home and barn in South Langley


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Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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