'In disbelief': Surrey skate shop co-owner devastated after fire at commercial building

Shaurya Kshatri · CBC News

· Posted: May 05, 2025 1:34 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

A section skateboard store proprietor says he's devastated aft a occurrence tore done a commercialized gathering successful Surrey's Newton country aboriginal Sunday morning.

"In disbelief and wholly blown away," said Chadd Sinclair, co-owner of Community Board Shop. "You could spot the fume billowing up into the entity from similar a fewer blocks away."

Surrey Fire Service said astir 28 firefighters, 9 occurrence trucks and aggregate exigency unit responded to the occurrence broke astir 7:45 a.m. astatine a commercialized operation adjacent 13400 71A Avenue. 

According to Assistant Deputy Chief Rich Bodnark, crews arrived to find "heavy achromatic fume and flames" coming from the rear of the building. 

Bodnark says the rear of the gathering suffered extended damage, but determination were nary injuries.

Sinclair says his shop, which is located astatine the beforehand of the building, sustained important fume and h2o damage. The backmost of the property, which includes residential units wherever Sinclair's sister and others lived, was gutted.

"My sister's place... got wholly engulfed successful flames," Sinclair said, adding that she and different nonmigratory astatine the portion are presently staying astatine a hotel. 

Sinclair estimates that betwixt $10,000 and $20,000 successful merchandise whitethorn person been damaged, much of it apt unsellable.

With premier skateboarding play conscionable beginning, helium says helium worries astir the semipermanent interaction connected the business.

"[That's] astir $3,000 up to $10,000 if not much a period that I could beryllium losing successful revenue."

The skate store proprietor says the store has go a hub for young skateboarders since it opened successful 2017.

"I was really conscionable successful the process of gathering a ramp, getting a ramp enactment inside, a mini fractional tube and past perchance doing skate lessons, trying to thatch the younger generations."

Despite the damage, Sinclair says he's determined to support serving the community.

"My parents tally Sinclair's Motorsports," helium added. "Maybe we tin determination immoderate cogwheel implicit determination origin that's usually my main absorption is trying to assistance retired the section kids and support them retired of occupation by giving them skateboarding."

Surrey Fire Service said the actions of archetypal responders helped forestall the occurrence from spreading to adjacent buildings. No origin has yet been determined.