A Maple Ridge band was scheduled to play its first gig at the Surrey pub that exploded into flames early Thursday.
Maple Ridge musician Brent Hickman was awakened by his cellphone alarm, and by habit checked Facebook. There was a message from his brother-in-law that said Jack’s Public House had burned to the ground.
The venue where his new band, UnderCover, had been practising to perform for the first time was gone. Firefighters were called to Jack’s in Fleetwood at 3 a.m. for a fire that is being treated as suspicious. The building was a total loss.
Hickman said he had been there for a Wednesday jam night, and it was a perfect venue, with a little dance floor they hoped to fill up.
They felt bad for those who lost a lot in the fire, but band members still set about finding another place for UnderCover’s inaugural gig.
Hickman said they have been working hard – rehearsing lots, producing a promotional video for social media and taking pictures.
They found a new venue and will instead play at the Station Pub in Abbotsford on Saturday, with their first set at 8 p.m.
Fire witnesses reported seeing someone running from the blaze.
A 36-year-old man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Paramedics were called to a Guildford home about an hour after the fire.
– with Black Press files.