Council has condemned a Sardis home that was heavily damaged in a fire last January and has drawn neighbours' complaints ever since.

Fire ripped through the home, at 45630 Watson Road, on Jan. 4, 2012. The building and the property were subsequently abandoned by their owner, who was identified by city hall as Warren Breuning, who is currently living in Edmonton.

"The building is continually insecure and it's often inhabited by unauthorized persons," a city staffer told council.

According to a staff report, assistant fire chief Ian Josephson "considers the building to be a fire and life safety hazard for both the Fire Department and trespassers."

One firefighter sustained injuries in the original fire last year.

Council also heard the city had received "numerous complaints from the community" about the building. Staff say children have been trespassing on the property, prompting safety concerns from neighbours.

Breuning has declared himself financially incapable of cleaning up the property, which is also littered with garbage and debris.

With council passing a remedial action order Tuesday, Breuning has 30 days to either fix up the property or ask for more time. If he fails to do so, the city will tear down the damaged home, clean up the property and then pass the bill on to Breuning. If he fails to pay, it will be added to his tax bill.

tolsen@chilliwacktimes.com