Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said improperly discarded smoking materials are to blame for a fire that caused $1.2 million in damage in the city’s northeast Tuesday morning.
Just before 7:30 a.m., firefighters were called to the area of 137 Avenue and 37 Street after receiving more than 20 calls to 911 about the blaze.
Fire crews arrived on scene three minutes later to a fully involved house fire. Approximately 30 firefighters from seven crews were called to the scene.
“Flames were coming through the roof on two of the structures,” district chief Darcy Sperling said from the scene Tuesday. “There was intense heat.”
The fire was brought under control by 9:13 a.m. and declared out by 3:13 p.m.
A total of five homes were damaged in the fire, two of which were destroyed, according EFRS spokesperson Brittany Lewchuk.
Investigators have determined the fire started in an attached garage of one of the homes due to smoking materials that were not properly put out.
Damages are pegged at $1.2 million, Lewchuk said.
Acting fire marshal Dennis Friedel with EFRS said Tuesday it’s been “a busy past few weeks” for fire crews.
“With the weather conditions and the spring winds, it’s been easier for the fires to catch and spread,” Friedel said.
While he couldn’t speak to the specific causes of each of the recent fires in Edmonton, he said smoking materials have been one of the biggest causes of house fires in the city. It’s a problem that increases in the spring, he said.
“Because of the weather conditions, people who — even though they shouldn’t do it — would discard their cigarettes into snowbanks and that, then they start throwing it into the dry grass,” he said.
“Grass hasn’t had a chance to green up.”
Friedel said people will also often use a planter, which during the winter will have some snow in it to help douse the cigarette.
“Improperly discarded smoking materials, if not discarded properly, it can sit and smolder for hours and even days before igniting and then the fire could start and extend into a house or a building. If no one is around the fire could get away from people,” he explained.
“If you’re a smoker, please discard your smoking material in a tall metal ash tray – something that’s a fair distance from the home. Don’t use planters, don’t throw them freely on the grass, don’t use plastic containers.”
No injuries were reported in Tuesday’s fire.