A fire destroyed a house on 118th Avenue in Maple Ridge leaving two families homeless.

Fire chief Dane Spence said the investigation hasn’t started yet but that there were no injuries.

“One family was away at the time of the fire, and the family that lived in the basement had to move out, as well,” Spence said.

“I thought all these houses had sprinklers,” said neighbour Janice Petrochuk. “I don’t know anyone in these new houses,” she said.

Her daughter, Emilee Fischer, a Grade 5 student at Alexander Robertson Elementary, said a school announcement stated that no one was injured.

“I heard that they just got home from Mexico, and the people who live downstairs came out at 2 a.m.,” she said.

Mikaela Dykeman, also in Grade 5, could see the flames from her house. “It was higher than all the trees. My mom guessed about 50 feet.”