Wednesday January 6, 2016 (Vol. 41 No. 1)
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
S O U T H
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
Out of the blue: Surrey RCMP’s Code Blue program is gaining traction with students and leaders alike, taking its first steps outside of the Lower Mainland at a Peace River high school. i see page 11
10 horses saved, three perish in noon-hour fire on South Surrey property
Barn blaze ‘just a complete tragedy’ Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Three horses and a dog have been confirmed dead following a fire last week at a barn on a South Surrey property. “Just a complete tragedy,” Kim Marosevich, manager of bylaw business operations for the City of Surrey, said Monday of the Dec. 30 incident. At the same time, a Langley man is being
credited with saving 10 horses from the same fate. Marosevich said it was “so fortunate” that Morgan Dansie noticed the smoke in the 16600-block of 16 Avenue – just east of the 16 Avenue on-ramp to Highway 99 – and “cared enough to stop and try to help.” “The outcome could’ve been much different if that didn’t happen,” she said. Dansie told Peace Arch News that he was en
route to White Rock’s Peace Arch Hospital with his wife, week-old son and mother-inlaw just before noon last Wednesday when he spotted black smoke billowing from the acreage. After calling 911, Dansie said he “ran and ran and ran” up the long driveway until he reached the burning building, where he discovered several horses trapped in paddocks, flames burning within 2½ metres of them.
“They were looking at me, ‘help me’,” he said, describing the panic he saw in the animals’ eyes. “I had to go in and grab ’em one by one to get ’em moving, then get out of the way.” Dansie said he worked at freeing the horses until the fire made it impossible to continue. “Every horse that I pulled out, the flames were getting more intense and more intense,” i see page 4
Eve Henry photo (top left)/Tracy Holmes photos
Around 650 people welcomed the new year with a splash at White Rock’s Polar Bear Swim Friday.
Thousands turned out for waterfront festivities
2,500 revellers ring in new year Hundreds of hardy souls rang in the new year with a chilly dip into Semiahmoo Bay Friday, at White Rock’s 46th annual Polar Bear Swim. Linda Coyle, assistant district governor for the five Semiahmoo Peninsula Rotary Clubs – principal organizers and sponsors of the
#50 - 2285 160th Street, South Surrey (Grandview Corners - across from Best Buy)
(604) 535-8118 www.insighteyecare.ca
event since last year – said there were some 650 who registered to make the noon-hour plunge near the white rock, encouraged by the sunny weather. “But there are tons and tons more who come out just to watch – the pier was full of people and there were people as far as you could
see to the east and the west,” she added. “I’d say there were around 2,500 people there – very similar to last year, although there were a lot more people in the water than last year. It was a great success continuing the tradition – I think it’s a really important community event.”
• Comprehensive Eye Exams • Children & Senior Vision Care • Digital Retinal Imaging • Contact Lenses • Glaucoma & Cataract Evaluation • Designer Eyeglasses & Sunglasses • Laser Surgery Co-Management NEW PATIENTS WELCOME
JANUARY 7 TO 17 DR. AVI SAHOTA
DR. KAREN SAHOTA
GREAT DEALS AT THE WINTER SIDEWALK SALE!