1 missing as 2 houses burn in afternoon fire in northwest Calgary
One person is missing and a dog is dead after two homes caught fire Friday afternoon in northwest Calgary.
Fire crews received 911 calls at about 12:20 p.m. about a single residence structure fire in the 800 block of Citadel Way NW, with black smoke coming from the basement.
By the time crews arrived, the fire had spread to a second home.
More firefighters were needed, so a third alarm was called.
Flames from a two-residence fire in northwest Calgary, Friday March 24, 2023
Fire crews attempted an aggressive interior attack, but due to the risk of collapse, they couldn't fully search the structure. The speed of the fire and deteriorating interior conditions forced fire crews to move to a defensive exterior attack of the fire.
The source home and the second home both were badly damaged and won't be re-occupied immediately.
A number of other homes were damaged by high levels of radiant heat.
One resident is missing and presumed to have fallen victim to the fire.
"We know how many people live there," said neighbour Ratna Deb Roy. "Are they OK? This is the thing right away we are thinking."
Deb Roy said they grabbed their hose to try and help. She said they're in shock about the situation.
"We know all of them," she said. "It's like a family, right? They clean our snow, we clean their snow. We know all of the family who lives there - even the kids and pet."
Ernest Sarna, a friend of one resident, said his mom ran in and told him to call 911. As they were leaving, he saw the flames from the neighbours fire was spreading from around the bsement around the backyard gates. The fire eventually spread to his house as well.
The neighbours on the other side of the home that caught fire escaped with their pets, as the heat melted their siding.
SECOND FIRE
While crews were working on the Citadel fire, another house fire was reported in the 400 block of Templeby Place NE. Crews arriving at that discovered a working fire that they were able to quickly bring under control.
No one was injured.
Police and fire investigators are on scene working to determine the cause of both fires.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau's 2024: Did the PM become less popular this year?
Justin Trudeau’s numbers have been relatively steady this calendar year, but they've also been at their worst, according to tracking data from CTV News pollster Nik Nanos.
Back on air: John Vennavally-Rao on reclaiming his career while living with cancer
'In February, there was a time when I thought my career as a TV reporter was over,' CTV News reporter and anchor John Vennavally-Rao writes.
The winter solstice is here, the Northern Hemisphere's darkest day
The winter solstice is Saturday, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere — ideal conditions for holiday lights and warm blankets.
Death toll in attack on Christmas market in Germany rises to 5 and more than 200 injured
Germans on Saturday mourned both the victims and their shaken sense of security after a Saudi doctor intentionally drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers, killing at least five people, including a small child, and wounding at least 200 others.
Poilievre writes to GG calling for House recall, confidence vote after Singh declares he's ready to bring Liberals down
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has written to Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, imploring her to 'use your authority to inform the prime minister that he must' recall the House of Commons so a non-confidence vote can be held. This move comes in light of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh publishing a letter stating his caucus 'will vote to bring this government down' sometime in 2025.
Overheated immigration system needed 'discipline' infusion: minister
An 'overheated' immigration system that admitted record numbers of newcomers to the country has harmed Canada's decades-old consensus on the benefits of immigration, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said, as he reflected on the changes in his department in a year-end interview.
School custodian stages surprise for Kitchener, Ont. students ahead of holiday break
He’s no Elf on the Shelf, but maybe closer to Ward of the Board.
Kelly Clarkson's subtle yet satisfying message to anyone single this Christmas
The singer and daytime-talk show host released a fireside video to accompany her 2021 holiday album, “When Christmas Comes Around” that she dubbed, “When Christmas Comes Around…Again.
Pope Francis reprimands Vatican staff for gossiping in annual Christmas message
Pope Francis told Vatican bureaucrats on Saturday to stop speaking ill of one another, as he once again used his annual Christmas greetings to admonish the backstabbing and gossiping among his closest collaborators.