At least 11 people were forced out of their homes, some of which are now destroyed, after a fire broke out in a northwest Calgary townhouse early Tuesday morning.
The Calgary Fire Department was called just before 4 a.m. to a housing complex at 4527 Montgomery Ave. N.W.
The city said it received several 911 calls from people who reported thick, dark smoke coming from the carport next to one of the townhouses.
“One caller stated she heard a loud bang, then ran to the window and saw a lot of smoke coming from the carport,” a news release said.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and visible flames coming from the building, so a second alarm was called to bring in additional resources.
District chief Gill Iland said the fire spread across the roof to the two units beside it.
Firefighters managed to stop the flames before they reached the fourth home, Iland said.
Three of the units are write-offs, and the other suffered extensive smoke damage.
No one was injured in the fire but 11 people were evacuated and are now receiving assistance from the Canadian Red Cross.
Daryl Noble lives in one of the townhouses that was destroyed. He stood outside with just a small bag in his hands.
“This has got my ID it in,” he said, “and my wallet and about $50 in cash, and that’s about it.
“We lost everything.”
He said his first priority was getting his mother out of the house.
“She was in her… pajamas and bare feet, and then I had to run in and get three cats.”
To make matters worse, this is the second time this year he’s been through a fire. In March, he said he lost his motorhome and everything he owns in a fire near Conrich, east of Calgary.
“I came here to live with my mother, only to lose everything again at Christmas. So I don’t even know what to do.”
Calgary Transit buses were brought in to keep people warm. ATCO and Enmax responded to the scene to disconnect the utilities, while a city sanding truck was also called in to look after icy sections of streets in the area.
As of 9:30 a.m., fire crews remained on scene extinguishing hotspots and retrieving valuables for residents.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. A Calgary Fire Department investigator was on scene looking into it Tuesday morning.
Anyone with information, photos or video of the fire, especially prior to fire crews’ arrival on scene, is asked to email piofire@calgary.ca.
With files from Caley Ramsay, Global News.
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