Calgary crews respond to 2-alarm fire in northwest community

Calgary firefighters responded to the 100 block of Evansmeade Common N.W. on Saturday morning for reports of a house fire.

Less than 24 hours after a two-alarm fire tore through three homes on Friday, Calgary fire crews were called once more to the northwest community of Evanston.

Officials say firefighters were called to respond to a fire in the 100 block of Evansmeade Common N.W. at approximately 4:45 a.m.

When crews arrived, they found a large fire that had engulfed a two-storey, single-family home. A second alarm was called to bring additional equipment to the scene to help with the situation.

"Immediate efforts were taken to control the fire and to search and evacuate residents from both the source home and exposed homes," the CFD said in a release. "Large aerial water streams were used on the source home and assisted in protecting neighboring homes that were exposed."

The fire did spread to another home and as many as five others in the vicinity suffered minor damage from the intense heat.

Three adults and six children were able to safely escape from both of the homes that were destroyed in the blaze and firefighters also confirmed that everyone in the other homes were also safe.

'JUST RED'

Sandra Gabriel-Omesah is one of the Calgarians that lost her home Saturday morning.

She was fast asleep, along with her husband and three children, when it started.

"I woke up and saw the next house was on fire and it was right in my bedroom window," she told CTV News. "Everything was just red."

The family of five was able to self evacuate, but they lost everything.

"We didn't have the time to take anything," Gabriel-Omesah said. "The whole house is all gone. The cars -- we had three cars -- they're all gone."

They'll be staying temporarily with nearby family.

BUSY STRETCH

Fire crews remain at the scene to monitor any hot spots while a fire investigator is working to determine the cause.

This is the second two-alarm fire in the community of Evanston.

Multiple homes were damaged in the first fire that was reported at approximately 2:30 p.m. in the 200 block of Evansglen Close N.W.

Fire officials at the scene told CTV News that while Friday's firewas driven by high winds, this incident was classified as a "high heat fire", which caused a lot of damage to adjacent homes.

Officials have not made any determination that the two fires are connected.

"Our investigators are working their tail off today," district chief Gordon Best said. "You don't know when things are going to happen and you don't know if they're going to happen in clusters like they did last night. But that's the nature of the beast."

The CFD says it would like to speak with any residents who may have any information about the fire, including anyone who has photos or video taken from around when it began, prior to the arrival of emergency crews. Anyone with details is asked to email [e-mail].