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Firefighters rescue woman, birds from burning home in southeast Calgary

Calgary crews were called to a house fire in the 100 block of Riverside Close S.E. at 9 p.m. on Friday. Global News

A woman in her 30s was rescued from a two-storey walkout fire in southeast Calgary on Friday night.

The fire department responded to a 911 call that reported people trapped inside a burning home in the 100 block of Riverside Close S.E. at 9 p.m.

“They had no smoke showing but when [crews] advanced to the house, they went through the front door and they could see that the house was fully charged,” said District Chief Frank Ostrow with the Calgary Fire Department (CFD).

Firefighters orchestrated a ladder rescue to save the woman on the second floor.

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“Crews had to ladder the building and rescue the lady from the back bedroom,” Ostrow said. “It’s a two-level walkout, so they had to ladder up to the first balcony and then ladder from the balcony up to the back window.”

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A man in his 60s — that Ostrow said the woman referred to as “grandpa” — left the home and was standing on the driveway when firefighters arrived.

Both people were assessed by AHS and taken to Rockyview General Hospital in stable condition for potential smoke inhalation.

Firefighters also saved two birds from inside the home.

The CFD said the blaze appears accidental and to have started in a basement couch. Smoke alarms were working when firefighters entered the house and no other buildings were impacted.

On March 19, the CFD confirmed the house fire was caused by a lit candle being knocked over.

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