Fire investigators have concluded their investigation into Tuesday’s fire at the Gardens at West Highlands seniors home and have determined the fire was accidental and started due to the improper disposal of a cigarette.
READ MORE: West Lethbridge fire leaves several seniors homeless, many more displaced
Several 911 callers reported seeing smoke and flames coming from a third-floor balcony of an apartment located at 2641 Garry Dr. W.
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All 140 residents of the building managed to escape without injury.
Fire Marshal Heath Wright with the Lethbridge Fire Department said he estimated the fire caused between $2 million and $3 million damage due to structure damage, content loss and water damage.
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Wright also reminded residents of the importance of extinguishing smoking materials properly. He said to ensure smoking materials are disposed of in a non-combustible container filled with sand or water.
Residents are still not allowed to move back into the building and a timeline for re-entry has not been determined.
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