EDMONTON – Edmonton Fire Rescue Investigators have determined that a cigarette butt sparked the fire that destroyed two homes in Wild Rose Sunday.
Fire crews were called to the Wild Rose neighbourhood, in the area of 20th Street and 37A Avenue, around 10 p.m. Sunday.
Witnesses say they heard a loud bang, then saw flames race up the side of one home and jump to the roof of the home next door.
“My son-in-law said he was in the kitchen, just happened to grab a drink of water, seen the flames out the backyard and called 9-1-1 and out he went,” said Jeff Churchill, whose daughter lives in one of the homes that was effected.
About 45 firefighters were called to fight the blaze. The homes were too far gone by the time crews arrived, so they attacked from the outside.
“The fire guys were here relatively quick, they did what they could to save the other houses, but it was a lost cause by the time they got here. The middle house there, half the roof was already on fire, the whole back was on fire,” said neighbour Kyle Vogelgesang.
“Our crews immediately called a second alarm, and with a lot of water, we kept any severe damage away from the adjoining buildings to each side of those,” explained District Chief Pat Grier, with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services.
Captain Inspector Shayne Page says it was a difficult fire to fight, and took about five hours to get control of.
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“You don’t want to put fire crews inside the building with the roof burning above them, so you have to attack it from an exterior attack or from outside on top of the roof.”
No one was injured in the blaze, but six people were displaced from their homes. They are staying with friends and family.
“Everything they had is gone, all their pictures. You can always buy a new home, right? But it’s the personal stuff,” said Churchill of his daughter and son-in-law. “Just their two dogs and clothes on their back, that’s all they had time for.”
“Our hearts go out to their loss,” said Fire Chief John Lamb.
Watch: Home video of the fire courtesy resident Destiny LaRose
Other homes in the area did sustained some damage, mostly melted siding. The total damage of the fire is estimated to be $1 million.
On Tuesday, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services revealed the fire started on the back deck of the home. Investigators said a cigarette butt thrown into a planter smouldered in the soil, and eventually lit the plastic planter on fire and spread up the vinyl siding of the home into the attic.
Officials explained that organic matter in planters actually insulates cigarette butts and doesn’t extinguish them. Officials urge smokers to use a metal can with sand or a commercial ashtray to dispose of smoking materials.
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