Gas main fire on 208 Street forced 625 customers from power and drew evacuation orders in Langley Township
Downed power lines ignited a gas main near Brookswood on November 11, cutting power to 625 customers and triggering evacuation orders that were lifted after midnight.
Long read. The subject the most local outlets covered that day, with the public record behind it. Every outlet and record is linked under the story. Read the original report on fraservalleytoday.ca.
A downed power line struck a gas main on 208 Street in Brookswood on Wednesday afternoon, November 11, 2026, sparking a fire that reached several dozen feet into the air and cutting power to 625 BC Hydro customers in the area. Langley Fire Rescue Service, RCMP, BC Hydro and FortisBC all responded. Evacuation orders and shelter-in-place advisories were lifted by 12:20 a.m. on November 12. No injuries were reported.
What happened on 208 Street
The fire started just before 3 p.m. on November 11 on the 4200 block of 208 Street, between 42 and 44 Avenues, in the Brookswood neighbourhood of Langley Township. Fraser Valley Today reported that the incident began when a power line came down and made contact with a gas main, igniting a localized fire fuelled by escaping natural gas.
A witness told the Langley Advance Times they heard a large bang and saw lines hanging down from above. Flames shot up several dozen feet into the air before emergency crews arrived and secured the area. The road was closed to traffic between 42 and 44 Avenues while BC Hydro worked to cut power to the downed lines and FortisBC repaired the gas main.
Who lost power and for how long
Fraser Valley Today reported that 625 BC Hydro customers lost power. The outage covered an area north of 36 Avenue, south of 46 Avenue, west of 216 Street and east of 205B Street. The outage started at 1:56 p.m., one hour before the visible fire started on the 4200 block. BC Hydro estimated power would return by 3 a.m. on November 12, a window of 13 hours from when the outage began.
The BC Hydro outage area takes in several streets of Brookswood, a residential neighbourhood of 13,200 people on the west side of Langley Township, according to Wikipedia. The area includes Brookswood Secondary School and five elementary schools. With the outage arriving on Remembrance Day, a statutory holiday, most schools and many businesses were already closed, limiting the disruption to residents at home.
Evacuation orders and the reception centre
As a precaution, emergency authorities issued shelter-in-place advisories and evacuation orders for addresses close to the fire. For residents who had to leave, a reception centre opened at George Preston Recreation Centre from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening. The centre, on 208 Street in Brookswood, opened in 1973 as the Langley Civic Center and was renamed in 2005 for former mayor George Preston. It sits one block south of where the fire broke out.
All orders were rescinded after midnight, with the last advisories lifted at 12:20 a.m. on November 12, according to Fraser Valley Today.
The agencies that responded
Four agencies worked the incident: Langley Fire Rescue Service, Langley RCMP, BC Hydro and FortisBC. The Langley Advance Times reported that firefighters, police and BC Hydro personnel all responded to 208 Street, with crews shutting down the area while BC Hydro cut power. FortisBC repaired the gas main.
The witness quoted by the Langley Advance Times said police and the fire department "were great and informative with the public, and kept everyone safe."
Downed power lines and what to do
Incidents like this one are a reminder of what BC Hydro advises about downed lines. If a power line falls near you, keep back at least 10 metres (33 feet) and call 911 immediately. BC Hydro treats every downed line as an emergency, whether or not it appears to be live. Do not approach or touch any fallen line. Once you are safe, report the outage to BC Hydro online or by calling 1-800-BCHYDRO (1-800-224-9376).
This incident involved both a power line and a gas main. When a power line comes down near a gas line, the two hazards can interact: a spark from the electrical line can ignite escaping gas, as happened on 208 Street. BC Hydro advises staying well back and calling 911 so both BC Hydro and FortisBC can send crews.
If you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately, leave doors open as you go, and do not use any electrical switches or phones inside the building. Call FortisBC's emergency line from outside or from a neighbouring property before re-entering. FortisBC responds to gas emergencies around the clock.
What to do if your home had a long outage
Power has been restored and all orders have been lifted. Residents whose food spoiled during the 13-hour outage can check BC Hydro's website for guidance on outage-related food loss. BC Hydro's claim process covers food spoilage in some situations when the outage was caused by equipment failure.
Before turning on appliances after a long outage, it is worth checking for any unusual smells or sounds. If a gas appliance was running when the power went out and there is any doubt about the pilot light or the gas supply, call FortisBC before using it.
What residents can do now
Power has been restored and all evacuation orders lifted. If you experienced damage to appliances or other equipment from the outage, contact BC Hydro at 1-800-BCHYDRO (1-800-224-9376) to ask about their claims process.
If you have information about what caused the original power line failure, contact BC Hydro using the same number.
For the latest safety notices and service updates in Langley Township, check the Township's news page at tol.ca. For the latest news about the Township's new council and their decisions, see the full news feed at /bc/langley-township-2026/news.
Questions this story answers
What caused the fire on 208 Street in Langley Township on November 11, 2026?
A power line fell onto a gas main on the 4200 block of 208 Street in the Brookswood neighbourhood. The contact ignited a fire fuelled by natural gas, according to Fraser Valley Today. A witness told the Langley Advance Times they heard a large bang and saw the lines hanging down before sparks started the blaze.
How many residents lost power during the November 11 Langley Township incident?
Fraser Valley Today reported that 625 BC Hydro customers lost power. The outage covered an area north of 36 Avenue, south of 46 Avenue, west of 216 Street and east of 205B Street. The outage began at 1:56 p.m. and BC Hydro estimated power would return by 3 a.m. on November 12, 13 hours after it started.
What evacuation orders were issued for the November 11 Langley fire?
Langley RCMP and emergency services issued both shelter-in-place advisories and evacuation orders for addresses near the fire. Fraser Valley Today reported that all orders were lifted by 12:20 a.m. on November 12, once crews had made the area safe.
Was anyone hurt in the 208 Street fire in Langley Township?
No injuries were reported. The Langley Advance Times quoted a witness saying 'No injuries. No persons involved. No vehicles involved.' Fraser Valley Today also confirmed no injuries. Emergency crews kept the public back while BC Hydro and FortisBC carried out repairs.
What agencies responded to the 208 Street fire in Langley Township?
Four agencies attended the scene: Langley Fire Rescue Service, Langley RCMP, BC Hydro and FortisBC, according to Fraser Valley Today. BC Hydro crews worked to cut power and restore it, while FortisBC repaired the gas main. Emergency crews closed 208 Street between 42 and 44 Avenues while work was underway.
Where was the reception centre during the November 11 Langley Township evacuation?
Fraser Valley Today reported that a reception centre opened at George Preston Recreation Centre from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening, so residents who had to leave their homes could register and find shelter. George Preston Recreation Centre is on 208 Street in Brookswood, near the site of the incident.
What should residents do if they see downed power lines in their area?
BC Hydro says downed power lines are always an emergency. Keep back at least 10 metres (33 feet) and call 911 immediately. Do not touch downed lines or approach them, even if they appear not to be live. Report outages online at bchydro.com or by calling 1-800-BCHYDRO (1-800-224-9376).
Is 208 Street in Brookswood back to normal after the November 11 incident?
Yes. All evacuation orders and shelter-in-place advisories were lifted by 12:20 a.m. on November 12, 2026, according to Fraser Valley Today. BC Hydro estimated power would return by 3 a.m. for the 625 affected customers. The road was closed between 42 and 44 Avenues while crews worked, but the Langley Advance Times' coverage of the incident did not indicate a longer closure.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Fraser Valley Today: Update on shelter-in-place and evacuation ordersfraservalleytoday.ca
- Langley Advance Times: Brookswood blaze shuts 208 Streetlangleyadvancetimes.com
- BC Hydro: Downed power line safetybchydro.com
- Wikipedia: Brookswood, Langleyen.wikipedia.org
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