White Rock residents, businesses celebrate recovery 2 years after Five Corners fire

It's been a long two years for John Michael Fry and other White Rock residents who were forced from their homes after a massive fire burned down the Ocean Ridgecondominium complex and destroyed several businesses.

"It's glorious, being back here on Five Corners," said Fry about the popular commercial and residential area of the city, which has now returned to what it once was. "This is one of the best places in the world to live."

In May 2016afire started in a condo development that was under construction. The blazequickly spread and razed Ocean Ridge.

"Boom, it goes up, jumps to our building.We thought it was going to miss it, but it jumpedand that was it," said Fry.

The extensive efforts to put out the flames taxed the water supply of the city of 20,000, leading to a boil-water advisory for the following three days.

Mounties and the White Rock Fire Department have been investigating the fire and believe it was deliberately set.

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The fire also damaged businesses like Laura's Coffee Corner, whose owner,LauraCornale,saidshe struggled with her insurance company to rebuild her business.

Fencing, storage containers and other construction marred the block for the past year, as well, she said.

"There was no parking, so a lot of the businesses lost ... it was a tough two years," she said.

But now Cornale says there is relief to see customers, residents and new businesses finally back in the area.

"It's good to see the fences come down and people coming back into our community ... it's really picking up ... and we're just all so excited for everyone."

There have so far been no charges laid by investigators related tothe fire.

With files from Jon Hernandez