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Residents of a Langford condo building were forced out of their homes Thursday afternoon when fire broke out in a top-floor unit.

Fire crews responded to the blaze in the four-storey building at 844 Goldstream Ave. about 1:20 p.m. Residents of the 48 units had been alerted to the fire by the building’s alarm system and everyone inside got out safely, said strata president David Westley.

Westley, who was down the street at the time the fire started, said he saw flames shooting out of a corner unit on the top floor.

The glass balcony of the blackened unit was shattered, and shards of glass and charred wood covered the sidewalk below.

Westley said fire crews told him the fire damage was contained to the unit, the roof and the outside of the building, and the hallways inside were covered in about an inch of water.

“I have no idea whether that’s gone into the apartments,” he said.

Harry Ruitenbeek was sitting on his deck when the fire alarm went off. The building’s alarm system had recently been tested, and he thought it was another routine check or a false alarm, until another resident went outside and saw the flames.

“Then I cleared out,” Ruitenbeek said. “It was a big huge flame on the deck and after that it started on the roof, black smoke. They poured about a million gallons of water on it.”

Westley expects residents will be allowed in the building with an escort Thursday evening to retrieve essential items and valuables, but they’ll need to find somewhere else to live until concerns about the building’s electrical system are addressed.

Residents are encouraged to register at the Langford Legion for emergency support.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, but police do not believe it is suspicious.

regan-elliott@timescolonist.com