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
Canada's 'unprecedented' fire season linked to climate change, will be the new normal: scientists
At the moment, wildfires are burning across six provinces and one territory in Canada — and they’re still spreading in what’s being called an unprecedented fire season. While firefighters work tirelessly to battle the merciless flames and prevent further destruction, scientists say the wildfires are linked to climate change and that this will be the new normal.

Trudeau raises Poland's democratic backsliding as prime minister visits Toronto
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he raised concerns about reports that LGBTQ2S+ rights and democracy are under threat in Poland during a Friday visit with its prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, in Toronto.
Air Canada says to expect further travel disruptions following Thursday's IT issues
Air Canada says travellers should be prepared for further flight disruptions as it works to return service to normal following a technical malfunction Thursday.
'Torch has been passed': What younger generations need to know about inheriting a family cottage
As more Canadians pass their family cottages down to the next generation, 'major shifts' in the ownership of recreational homes will occur, according to Re/Max. But amid concerns around the cost of housing, some may be wondering whether they can afford to keep that family cottage. Here's what younger generations need to know about inheriting a recreational property and the market today.
'Utterly disgusting': Canadian Army sergeant fined for 'anti-Jewish' comments
A 38-year-old sergeant in the Canadian Army was fined $3,000 and issued a severe reprimand after he made what a military judge described as 'utterly disgusting' anti-Jewish comments while conducting an infantry training course in 2021.
Poilievre tries to head off PPC vote as Bernier bets on social conservatives
Pierre Poilievre is off to Manitoba to rally Conservative supporters ahead of a byelection that Maxime Bernier is hoping will send him back to Parliament. The far-right People's Party of Canada leader lost his Quebec seat in the 2019 federal vote and lost again in the 2021 election.
Experts warn of 'rapid' growth of IBD as number of Canadians diagnosed set to reach 470K by 2035
The number of people in Canada with inflammatory bowel disease is increasing rapidly and is expected to grow to 470,000 by 2035, according to a new report from Crohn's and Colitis Canada.
Trudeau continues to stand by David Johnston despite calls that he step down
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is committed to keeping David Johnston in place as Canada's special rapporteur on foreign interference, despite a majority of MPs voting in favour of his stepping down from the gig.
Camping during fire season? Here's some things you should know
With dry conditions preventing people from having campfires across the country, some may wonder what they can bring into a campground or if there are alternatives to the traditional flames.