Firefighters were on scene of a difficult house fire in south Edmonton Monday afternoon.
District chief Todd Weiss with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said crews arrived at the home in the area of 34 Avenue and 29 Street to find heavy smoke billowing from the doors and windows.
Weiss said it’s believed the fire started in the basement. One of the firefighters was able to see the main floor was compromised, so crews stayed outside and performed an exterior attack, he explained.
“It’s been a difficult fire because of the temperature but also because of the basement. It’s all compartmentalized so it’s been tough putting the fire out,” Weiss said.
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“We’ve had sections of the main floor collapse into the basement, which has made entry into the basement really unsafe, a hazard. We haven’t entered the structure because of the collapse of the floor.”
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By early Monday afternoon, the fire was under control. Crews were expected to remain on scene for a couple more hours to extinguish hotspots.
“We’ve been pulling open the side of the house and we’re looking at opening up the roof to see if it’s extended into the roof right now,” Weiss said.
Several of the windows were smashed. Weiss said he wasn’t sure if the house would be salvageable, but added it was “highly unlikely.”
In total, 18 firefighters and five apparatus were involved in the fire fight.
The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are not yet known.
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