CALGARY -- Fire officials suspect combustible materials left on a stove led to a Saturday night fire that tore through a multi-unit home east of Lethbridge.
Crews were called to a residence in the town of Coaldale at approximately 7 p.m. following reports of a blaze.
More than 20 firefighters were deployed and crews battled both the flames and the frigid conditions during their response.
"Ice building up on yourself, on your protective gear, on the ground," explained Kevin McKeown, Coaldale fire chief. "That adds another complexity and an additional hazard that you have to deal with.
"Firefighters going from extreme heat in one instance — fighting fire inside the structure — to going outside to immediately freezing up, so that can cause a lot of issues itself on the equipment that you're wearing and it's extra stress on the firefighter."
According to officials, two people were inside the building when the fire ignited and both escaped unscathed. No injuries to any tenants or firefighters have been reported.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is underway but, according to McKeown, a preliminary investigation indicated combustible materials had been left on a stove.
The damage to the building is estimated at $100,000.
With files from CTV Lethbridge's Austin Lee
