EDMONTON – Fire investigators say a fire that destroyed a home and damaged two others in west Edmonton Tuesday evening was deliberately set.
The fire broke out around 6 p.m. at a home that was under construction in the West Jasper Place neighbourhood, around 98 Ave. and 154 St.
Roughly 50 firefighters from several different halls battled the blaze, but despite their efforts, the fire spread to two neighbouring houses.
“These cause some trouble because the houses are so close together,” said Deputy Chief Barry Lamb, “and we do everything we can to keep the collateral damage to a minimum.”
Frank Belzile, who lives two homes down from where the fire originated, saw the flames shooting into the sky on his way home from work.
He was told to stay out of his home during the fire fight for safety’s sake, but it was his next-door neighbours’ house that he was more concerned about.
“It’s kind of hard to imagine the people next door, they just built that house last year. It’s brand new and it’s going on fire now,” Belzile said as he stood in the smoke-filled street.
It’s not the first case of arson in the area. In 2008, a camper was torched outside a home across the alleyway. That home was then set ablaze four years later.
“It is concerning, I don’t know if there’s any correlation but it just seems unusual,” said community director, Irene Blain.
Area resident Bernard LaBrie admits that despite having a big security fence, as well as installing cameras and motion lights, he still feels on edge in his home because of the past arsons.
“People think you’re maybe a little paranoid, but we’re not paranoid,” he said. “You’re always battling – people walking by down the street – you’re checking, you’re always looking out the window.”
No one was injured in Tuesday’s blaze, but six people have been displaced.
The Edmonton Police Service Arson Unit is now investigating the fire, which is estimated to have caused $600,000 in damage.
With files from Quinn Ohler and Fletcher Kent, Global News
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