Edmonton Fire Rescue was called to a house fire in the northeast end of the city early Monday morning.
The fire broke out just after 2 a.m. at a home at 122 Avenue and 57 Street.
Firefigthers had to not only battle the blaze but the frigid conditions as well, as the temperature dropped to -17°C overnight.
Black smoke filled the air as firefighters doused the flames. They couldn’t get inside right away as flames flared for five hours.
“It was a stubborn fire. There’s been some renovations in the building so there’s some hidden walls and that sort of thing. Attic access is difficult,” Edmonton Fire Rescue services district chief Paul Colcy said.
The outside of the house was a wall of ice and the street was like a skating rink because of the water used to douse the flames. Street sanders arrived to get some traction on the street.
“We were trying to get that fire in the attic, but we had to call the guys off the roof because it was icing up pretty quick, getting dangerous,” Colcy said.
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Neighbour Theresa Bata said she woke up to smoke coming into her home, as her bedroom is next to the damaged home.
Bata told Global News a family with a baby live inside the home.
“I know them briefly, just ‘hi, bye’ and that’s about it. I don’t know where they are now. I asked if they were out and they said they were out, so hopefully they’re okay, they’re safe,” Bata said.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.
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