Maple Ridge News, August 29, 2012

Page 1

B.C. Views Studying B.C. projects to death. p6

WHL returns to Maple Ridge arena. p25

THE NEWS

Arts&life Oliver! the musical at The ACT. p21

www.mapleridgenews.com Wednesday, August 29, 2012 · Serving Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows · est. 1978 · 604-467-1122 · 50¢

Colleen Flanagan/THE NEWS

Coun. Robert Masse believes there’s been a significant downturn in the social dynamic of downtown.

Council looking at crime in core Colleen Flanagan/THE NEWS

Wants report on perceived rise in prostitution downtown

A worker looks at the aftermath of a fire at the Waldun Group cedar mill Sunday.

Investigation into cause underway, early indications it was electrical by R o b e r t M a n g e l s d o r f & M o n i s h a M a r t i n s staff reporter The investigation into the fire that destroyed a Ruskin cedar shake mill indicates it may have been electrical in nature. The blaze started shortly after midnight Sunday at the Waldun Forest Products mill on 287th Street and Lougheed Highway in Ruskin, near the Mission border. Investigators from the Maple Ridge Fire Department believe the fire started in an area of the mill where maintenance work was being done Saturday. Curtis Walker, a partner with Waldun Forest Products, said the company is looking at the possibility the fire may have been electrical. “But nothing has been determined yet,” he

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Shane MacKichan/Special to THE NEWS

Flames from the fire could be seen from Abbotsford. added. Maple Ridge assistant fire chief Mark Smitton confirmed an electrical problem is one of the likely scenarios being looked at. Smitton added the fire is not being considered suspicious. He was the first to arrive at the fire and

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found the mill already engulfed in flames. At the height of the blaze, flames stretched 30 metres into the night sky and could be seen from as far away as Abbotsford. Smitton said firefighters managed to contain the fire to the mill and protected a workshop and equipment nearby. A lack of fire hydrants and collapsing hydro lines hampered the initial attack. Mission Fire/Rescue Service’s tanker trucks were called in to help supply water. No one was injured in the fire, which was called in by a night watchman, the only employee on site when the fire started. “Thank goodness no one was hurt,” said Walker. He added that safety at the mill has always been a top priority. “We’re a very safe company, and we take safety very seriously.” WorkSafeBC has conducted seven inspections of the mill since June of 2009, and found no fire hazards. See Fire, p3

Index Opinion Tom Fletcher Looking Back Community Calendar Arts&life Sports Classifieds

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Maple Ridge council is worried about more crime, homelessness or prostitution in the downtown, but it’s going to get the details first before it takes action. “For me, I think we need to let staff go away and come back with the facts,” Coun. Judy Dueck said at council’s workshop Monday. She was reacting to Coun. Bob Masse’s concerns about an apparent deterioration of the downtown. “I believe that there’s been a significant downturn in the social dynamic of downtown, recently,” he told council. Masse, whose chiropractic business is in the downtown, says new people have arrived and he could see a “definite change in the downtown.” The possible increase isn’t affecting his business, he added. Maple Ridge’s central area provides lots of social services that is “enabling this type of existence,” he added. See Downtown, p4

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