Early morning warehouse fire forces evacuation of Calgary hotel
An early morning fire at an abandoned warehouse on Seventh Avenue S.E. sent a massive plume of smoke into the air, engulfing the nearby Hilton Hotel in Calgary’s East Village.
First responders were called to the scene shortly after 3:15 a.m. to find flames and heavy smoke blanketing the building, with smoke blowing toward the nearby hotel.
Despite having 14 apparatus on scene, the firefight was a long one.
"When crews arrived, they attempted to go in and do an interior attack, however conditions quickly changed and made it quite difficult," Calgary Fire Department public information officer Carol Henke said.
The smoke from the fire set off the hotel's alarm, forcing guests out of the building around 3:30 a.m.
“My wife and I were fast asleep and all of a sudden, we heard the smoke alarm go off,” Aaron Getchell, one of the hotel guests told CTV News Wednesday.
Getchell said they first thought it was a test, but when they reached the stairway they knew something was wrong.
“We went into the emergency stairwell to take the stairs down and we immediately smelled smoke. The smoke became more thick right around the fourth floor.
“We just went to the car and went back to bed. Slept in there for about an hour.”
Another hotel guest, Sarvesh, said it was a disorienting situation.
"We didn't know where the smoke was coming from," he said. "But we are thankful the fire alarm rang."
EMS tells CTV News no injuries have been reported.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, and the investigation could be a lengthy one.
That's because building access is limited.
"It's old brick work that's just not structurally sound," Henke said.
"It could be an imminent collapse situation. If anybody has any information that can help, I'd be eager to see and share that with our investigators."
CTrains were temporarily impacted as emergency crews responded. Service has since resumed.
"The close proximity of the transit lines meant the CTrain service was disrupted both while we monitored the stability of the building, and further impacted when the CTrain line was de-energized to allow the building to be made safe," the fire department said in a statement Wednesday night.
"However, we were able to avoid completely shutting down Transit access until after the bulk of rush hour traffic had dissipated. Transit continued to run shuttles to ensure service.
"We recognize the impact on commuters and we'd like to thank all Transit customers for their patience as we worked to ensure everyone's safety. Transit operations have returned to normal."
The fire department says the building has been safely secured and turned over to the property owners.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.