'A shame that a lot of it is gone': 100 year old Lethbridge garage destroyed by fire

An investigation is underway into the cause of a weekend fire that destroyed one garage, damaged a second, and melted the siding on a nearby house.
Fire crews from three stations responded to a report of a structure fire in the 1200 block of Fourth Avenue S. on Sunday afternoon.
“I heard a loud noise, sounded like an explosion,” said Dave Heatherington, an off-duty firefighter who discovered his neighbour’s garage ablaze when he went out to his backyard to investigate.
Crews arrived on scene and were met with visible smoke and flames coming from a single car garage.
Neighbouring homes on the south side of Fourth Avenue were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
Heatherington — who is a platoon-chief with Lethbridge Fire and EMS — briefly joined in the firefighting effort by helping to connect a hose from the hydrant to one of the fire trucks.
The single car garage where the fire started was completely levelled in about 30 minutes.
Owner Jim Day said the structure was about 100 years old and had originally been used as a stable when his house was built in 1909.
“This is what’s lucky,” added Day, “My wife drove her car out and went shopping less than 20 minutes before the fire started.”
Platoon Chief Shawn Folk said it was fortunate that the wind was not blowing from the west.
“We had a little bit of a north wind,” said Folk. “It pushed toward the south side and caught a house just across the alley.”
The siding on the house was left scorched and blistered by the heat.
Day said the worst part was the damage the fire caused to his neighbours, including Heatherington’s garage next door.
“I know Dave and his brother-in-law have put in two years building that beautiful garage,” said Day. “It’s a shame that a lot of it is gone.”
Heatherington said it was not a big deal.
“It’s all just stuff that can be replaced,” he said, pointing out no one was injured and everyone managed to get their pets out safely.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE | U.S. President Joe Biden to meet Trudeau, address Parliament today
U.S. President Joe Biden has made it to Canada, as part of his first official visit since taking office. Alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden will be meeting with top officials and addressing Parliament in an effort to reaffirm the strength of the Canada-U.S. relationship.

LIVE UPDATES | Watch live coverage of U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to Canada
As Joe Biden makes his first trip to Canada as president of the United States, CTVNews.ca is offering live coverage of the leader's visit. Follow our live blog on CTVNews.ca and the CTV News app for the latest updates.
Incredible photos show northern lights dancing across much of Canada
Sky-gazers and shutterbugs across much of Canada were treated to a spectacular display of northern lights Thursday night and into Friday morning.
W5 Investigates | 'Canadians should be very concerned about their drinking water': W5 investigates asbestos cement pipes
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
Ontario crypto king kidnapped, tortured in an attempt to get millions in ransom, documents say
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
W5 EXCLUSIVE | New police force should be appointed to take over investigation into death of teenaged hockey player, complaint says
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
Restaurants and bars brace for biggest alcohol tax jump in 40 years
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
Unwelcome spotlight falls on NHL team Pride night events
Pride nights, held annually for several years by National Hockey League teams to show support for the LGBTQ2S+ community, are in the spotlight following several high-profile incidents this season.
Why executions by firing squad may be coming back in the U.S.
The idea of using firing squads is making a comeback in the U.S. Idaho lawmakers passed a bill this week seeking to add the state to the list of those authorizing firing squads, currently Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina.