Calgary police confirmed Tuesday that a body was found inside a Douglas Glen home that caught fire on the weekend, but said the death isn’t considered suspicious.
Emergency crews rushed to the 300 block of Douglas Glen Close S.E. at around 4:20 a.m. on Sunday after receiving more than 25 calls about a possible explosion.
Callers said they heard a loud bang, glass shattering, and saw fire and smoke coming from the house.
When firefighters arrived, they found the home engulfed in flames which were spreading to neighbouring houses.
In total, residents from five homes were evacuated. ATCO Gas and Enmax were called to the scene to shut off utilities to the affected homes and Calgary Transit sent two buses to the scene to keep evacuees warm.
Due to structural concerns, firefighters weren’t able to search the home until later in the day, at which time the Calgary Fire Department (CFD) said a body was found.
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In a Tuesday news release, the Calgary Police Service (CPS) said the man has been tentatively identified as a “resident of the home” and was the only person at home at the time of the fire.
On Monday, neighbours told Global News the owner of the house where the fire originated had lived there for over 20 years and may have been out of town at the time of the incident, but had a tenant living in the house.
The CFD described damage to the home where the fire originated as “extensive.”
The Calgary Police Service Arson Unit and CFD investigators said the explosion and fire were caused “by human activity,” though they didn’t specify what exactly that activity was.
As the death is not considered criminal in nature, police said the identity of the victim will not be released.
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