Early morning fire rips through northwest Calgary building
Officials are investigating after a fire broke out inside a vacant building in northwest Calgary early Sunday morning.
The Calgary Fire Department says crews were dispatched to the 1100 block of Gladstone Road N.W. for reports of a fire at approximately 12:45 a.m. A second alarm was called immediately because of the situation, officials said.
"Upon arrival, fire crews faced significant smoke and visible flames from the interior of a three-storey cinder block commercial building. Firefighters quickly initiated an exterior defensive attack," the CFD said in a release.
Crews also set up a number of water towers to keep the fire from spreading to other businesses, such as a bike shop next door.
EMPTY FOR YEARS
Officials say the building where the fire began had been empty for some time.
"Reports were that the structure had been vacant for a number of years," officials said.
People who live in the area believe it was an abandoned community centre.
"We thought it was smoke from construction or something like that but we turned the corner and saw a bunch of smoke coming from the top," said Matthew Powell.
A short moment later, they said they heard the sirens approaching and then firefighters were at the scene.
Powell says it took only about 10 minutes for the building to be fully involved.
"It's pretty crazy."
Fire crews, along with a fire investigator, will remain at the scene to ensure all the flames have been extinguished and they haven't spread to other buildings.
Officials say damage was limited to the one structure.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
The pros and cons of discussing mental health issues in the workplace
A group of lawyers has written what they call a groundbreaking book about how mental health is perceived in the legal profession.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.