Early morning duplex fire in north Edmonton

Firefighters were called to a house fire in northeast Edmonton’s Balwin neighbourhood early Thursday morning.

Fire crews were called to a duplex at 128 Avenue near 67th Street around 2:30 a.m.

“My wife came in the bedroom there, just screaming, ‘get up, get up, there’s a fire next door!’” said Gordy Longstaff, who lives in the other unit of the duplex.

“I got up, got dressed, come out and smoke just pouring out of the apartment next door,” he added.

While the cause has not been determined, it appears the fire started in a basement suite.

“We just saw smoke pouring out of the house, and the woman was screaming next door, ‘my daughter, my daughter,’ so I guess she was worried that her daughter was still downstairs, eh? I guess the fire happened in the laundry room downstairs for some reason or other,” Gordy Longstaff said.

“The flames were just shooting out of the kitchen and bedroom window. I guess the fire went from downstairs right up,” added Gordy’s wife Jean Longstaff.

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All four residents managed to get out safely. One firefighter suffered a minor injury while fighting the fire.

The fire was brought under control quickly, and little visible damage could be seen from the outside of the home.

Fire investigators were also called to the scene.