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UPDATE: Fire crews issue warning following garage fire

Two garages were destroyed in a fire in the area of 103rd Street and 168th Avenue Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Supplied, Marlowe Harrowby

EDMONTON- Fire prevention officers are issuing a warning about hazards after a garage fire in north Edmonton Wednesday damaged six buildings in the area.

Fire crews were called to the area of 103rd Street and 168th Avenue shortly after 6:30 Wednesday evening after receiving a call that a garage was on fire.

“Crews arrived on scene to determine they did have a garage that was showing lots of fire and heavy black smoke,” explained District Chief Ryan Lees with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services.

Eight to 10 crews were called in to fight the blaze, which quickly spread to a neighbouring garage. The intense heat also caused damage to the home, two garages across the alleyway, and a shed.

Total damage is estimated to be $160,000.

While fire crews were on scene, there was an explosion inside the garage.

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Officials are now warning people of the dangers and hazards present for firefighters, particularly when they’re responding to garage fires.

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They say garages often contain a variety of highly flammable materials including gasoline, oil, cleaning products, paints, and adhesives.

Fire prevention officers are reminding homeowners to use a ULC listed fuel storage container if they store gasoline in the garage. They are also asking residents to store flammable liquids in the original labelled containers with tight fitting lids and keep them away from heaters, appliances and lights.

Officials say no one was injured in the blaze.  However, the homeowners were displaced for the night because the fire affected electrical components on the outside of their home.

Despite the damage, Lees says fire crews worked extremely quickly and says the damage could have been a lot worse.

“For the amount of damage that could have been caused from houses close to it and garages, they stopped this fire pretty quick,” he said. “They did a really good job on this one here, it could have been worse.”

Investigators are now on scene working to determine what caused the blaze.


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