Unattended barbecue sparks $1.8M blaze in Rutherford

WATCH ABOVE: There were some tense moments for Rutherford residents early Saturday morning as a fire ripped through a triplex. Eric Szeto reports.

EDMONTON – Fire crews believe a barbecue left on and unattended is to blame for an overnight blaze in south Edmonton.

Edmonton firefighters were called to the fire in the Rutherford neighbourhood around 1:10 a.m.

When firefighters arrived on scene, flames could be seen coming from the roof of a triplex on Rutherford Road. The blaze quickly spread to a neighbouring duplex.

Alexis Marie Chute lives about a block away from where the fire happened. Her husband woke her up around 1 a.m. and by the time they went outside they could see large flames shooting out the top of the house.

“My first thought was, ‘Oh God, I hope the people are out and okay and they’re safe,'” she said. “At that point there was flying embers and I’m just worried about where all it’s going to go in the wind. It was a little nerve-racking.”

WATCH: Raw video of the Rutherford fire 

By 2 a.m., 12 trucks and about 50 firefighters were on scene working to douse the blaze. It was brought under control shortly before 4 a.m.

Eleven people were forced from their homes and were staying with friends or family Saturday morning. No injuries were reported.

Fire investigators say damages are pegged at $1.8 million.