EDMONTON – Six volunteer firefighters from the eastern Alberta village of Edgerton were hospitalized Monday evening after an explosion during the controlled burn of an abandoned house.
The rural house had been used numerous times by Edgerton Rescue Services for training. “They’d done some controlled burns in this building and practised search and rescue techniques,” Wainwright Fire & Rescue Chief Steve Douglas said. “This time the owner of the house asked if they wouldn’t mind burning the house completely down because he wanted to get rid of it.”
Douglas said the firefighters, about 12 in all, took every precaution to secure the house before setting it on fire at about 8 p.m.
“The house was fully involved for approximately 15 minutes when there was a huge explosion,” Douglas said. The force of the blast tossed debris more than 90 metres in all directions.
The extent of the firefighters’ injuries is unknown. One man was airlifted to an Edmonton hospital, while five others were taken to Wainwright’s health centre for treatment.
RCMP were called to assist, but Wainwright Fire & Rescue is leading the investigation.
“There wouldn’t have been any fuel in the house at the time that would have caused an explosion unless there was something there that was completely hidden from the firefighters,” Douglas said.
He said nothing was left standing from the blast. Debris was scattered across two roads that intersect nearby. Fire investigators have yet to determine a cause and will continue their investigation Tuesday.
Edgerton is about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.
bgelinas@thejournal.canwest.com
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