Watch above: One person is dead after an overnight fire in west Edmonton. As Erin Chalmers tells us, homicide and arson units are now investigating.
(UPDATE: On Thursday, October 2, police confirmed the woman’s death was a homicide)
EDMONTON – Homicide detectives are investigating after a woman was found dead in a west Edmonton house fire early Wednesday morning.
Fire crews were called around 2 a.m. to a bungalow at 173 Street and 77 Avenue, in the Callingwood North neighbourhood.
“First arriving crews determined that there was smoke and heavy flames here showing from the house,” said District Chief Jan Van Imschoot, Edmonton Fire Rescue.
Fire crews quickly moved in to attack the fire and conduct search and rescue.
Homicide detectives are treating it as a crime scene.
Neighbour Debbie Deboer says the woman who lived in the home was in her mid-30s and had multiple sclerosis, but was still able to get around.
“Other than she was handicapped to the point that she had difficulty walking, that was the only signs we could see,” she said.
“She was a pleasant little girl, very tiny. Quite badly crippled – she was disabled,” said Deboer’s mother Myra Mousseau, who has lived in the area for over 20 years and often watches the goings-on of the neighbourhood from her front window.
Mousseau was impressed with the woman’s efforts to be independent.
“She’d go around those trees and everything, mow those lawns, shovel that sidewalk and great big patio, always. Yeah, she was a fighter all right.”
Mousseau didn’t know her neighbour very well, but recalls seeing her being picked up and dropped off at home.
“I’ve seen her with friends, laughing and carrying on. It’s so sad that she’s gone. It’s not fair.”
Deboer said she would wave and say hi on the street, but didn’t know her neighbour’s name. She believes part of the home may have been rented out. She often saw two men coming and going.
Neighbours say one of the men arrived home from work as the fire started, and the other showed up later in the morning, also after finishing work.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
“We do know that the fire spread through the home, and we had to check for extensions,” said Van Imschoot.
Edmonton police and fire investigators are working together to determine what happened. Police say an autopsy has been scheduled from 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
“If it is her, I just pray that she didn’t struggle and that she went quickly and quietly,” said a visibly shaken Deboer.
“It’s a horrible thing to die… but you know, if you’re going to do it, let’s do it fast and easy.”
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