First responders were at the scene of a house fire in the southeast Calgary community of Douglas Glen Sunday morning.
At around 9:30 p.m. investigators removed a body from the home.
The incident occurred in the 300 block of Douglas Glen Close S.E.
Police have not confirmed any further details, except to say they’ve taken over the investigation.
Officers said they would hold the scene for several hours, possibly longer.
WATCH: The Sunday morning blast destroyed one home in southeast Calgary and damaged two neighbouring houses. Michael King reports.
Fire officials said they received over 25 calls to 911 at around 4:20 a.m.
Many callers reporting they heard a loud bang, glass shattering, and saw flames visible from the second floor of the home.
When crews arrived, they found a home fully engulfed in fire, with the flames spreading to a second home.
WATCH: A fire started in the 300 block of Douglas Glen Close S.E. in Calgary on Sunday. When crews arrived, they found a home fully engulfed in fire, with the flames spreading to a second home. Adam MacVicar has more.
According to Calgary fire, a neighbouring home suffered severe damage to the possible explosion and fire; damage to other homes included melted siding and broken windows.
Five homes were evacuated in all, according to fire officials. Two transit buses were brought in to shelter evacuees, but residents with homes that sustained minor damage have since been allowed to return home.
Crews shut off power and gas to the affected homes.
A second alarm was called to the scene, due to damage and the need to change out crews because of the cold weather.
One neighbour said he heard a loud explosion that shook his house a block away.
According to a neighbour who spoke to Global News, the owner of the home was away in Thailand and a renter was living there at the time of the explosion.
“We hadn’t seen him in a few weeks and we were just hoping and praying he wasn’t in there,” Dave Frizzell said.
“We are a family. It’s hard to swallow sometimes but that’s what we do, help each other through tough times.
“I feel bad for the owner, he lost everything, she lost everything, and he’s going to come home to a house with nothing and have that person who passed away in his basement.”
Fire officials continue to investigate the cause of this incident and are asking any witnesses who have information, photos or video, especially prior to the arrival of fire crews on scene, to email piofire@calgary.ca.
WATCH: The incident occurred in the 300 block of Douglas Glen Close S.E. When crews arrived, they found a home fully engulfed in fire, with the flames spreading to a second home.
– With files from Michael King
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