Blaze engulfs south Edmonton apartment building; 1 person in hospital

UPDATE: $14M Blue Quill apartment fire caused by cigarette in potting soil: Edmonton Fire

Firefighters responded to a blaze just before 2 a.m. Sunday at the Monticello apartment building near 27 Avenue and 115 Street.

Flames could be seen shooting through the roof in the four-storey building in Blue Quill as roughly 60 firefighters fought the blaze.

Fire spokesperson Suzzette Mellado told Global News that one person was sent to hospital.

“We had an injury. The patient was transported to the University of Alberta Hospital,” said Mellado.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We had an injury. The patient was transported to the University of Alberta Hospital," said Mellado.

There is no word on the extent of the person’s injuries.

Mark Sclzler lives on the ground-level of the building. He heard the fire alarm go off but initially thought it was a false alarm.

“I could see the back two top apartments burning,” said Sclzler.

He left the building then decided to go back to try and rescue his cats.

“[I found one cat but not the other,] I was in there for half an hour and the flames had already moved from one side of the building to the other,” said Sclzler. “When I saw the fire and ashes falling down, I figured I better leave.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "[I found one cat but not the other,] I was in there for half an hour and the flames had already moved from one side of the building to the other," said Sclzler. "When I saw the fire and ashes falling down, I figured I better leave."

Martin Johnson has lived on the fourth floor of the apartment for approximately one year. He said this isn’t his first experience with a building fire.

On Sunday, he watched the fire quickly rip through the apartment building.

“I can tell it is damaged completely. The fire spread really fast all the way down to my unit,” said Johnson. “We will try to start over again. My family is alive and my neighbours are alive and I am thankful.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I can tell it is damaged completely. The fire spread really fast all the way down to my unit," said Johnson. "We will try to start over again. My family is alive and my neighbours are alive and I am thankful."

Both Sclzler and Johnson said the building often had false alarms.

Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control at around 5:30 a.m.

“We are still working on hot spots, keeping firefighters on scene for an extended period of the day to ensure the fire is completely brought under control and declared to be out,” said Acting District Chief William Chabaniuk.

Dozens of people were evacuated from the building and transported by an Edmonton Transit bus to a nearby school until temporary housing could be arranged.

There is no word yet on a damage estimate or a cause of the fire.