'Intense' Dover townhouse fire sends 3 to hospital
Three people are in stable condition in hospital after a two-storey Calgary townhouse caught fire on Saturday morning.
It happened on Doverdale Mews in the southeast community of Dover just before 11:30 a.m.
Calgary fire crews say the fire started on the top floor of the four-suite building. Seven people were able to self-evacuate: three were brought to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and one other was treated on scene.
Battalion chief Innes Fraser says it could have been worse.
"Our crew in the area was actually out getting fuel, so they arrived on scene at 11:24 a.m., one minute after the initial call," he said. "They used what we call a 'transitional attack,' which means they were putting water from the outside of the structure in to it. And (then) the crews worked their way inside to search and make sure everyone was out."
Neighbours tell CTV News the flames spread quickly.
"I was letting my dogs out and I heard screaming for help," Courtney Hawthorne said. "There was a lady in the upstairs window hanging out and screaming that she couldn't jump. And then I saw the right window burst and the flames started to come out."
Hawthorne says she still isn't sure how everyone inside was able to evacuate, but she's relieved they were.
"It was starting to go to the neighbours' side when I saw it," she said. "The wind was blowing so it was coming out really heavy and the smoke was thick. It was intense."
Fire crews say substantial damage in the source suite means it will not be able to be reoccupied.
A total of 13 fire apparatus attended the scene and will remain there throughout Saturday evening to extinguish any hot spots.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Alleged Montreal-area 'Chinese police stations' planning to sue RCMP for $2.5 million
Two Chinese community centres in the Montreal area are planning to launch a $2.5 million defamation lawsuit against the RCMP and the Attorney General of Canada after being accused by the police force of hosting 'alleged Chinese police stations.'
With Canada set to reimpose cap on working hours, international students worry about paying for tuition, living expenses
Canada is set to reimpose the cap on the number of hours that international students can work off campus. But with heightened cost-of-living concerns in Canada, many international students say they're not sure how they'll be able to afford their tuition and living expenses if they can't work full-time.
Inmate stabbed Derek Chauvin 22 times, charged with attempted murder, prosecutors say
A federal inmate was charged Friday with attempted murder in the prison stabbing of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd.
Lawyer in Ali murder trial says 13-year-old B.C. victim was not an 'innocent'
Ibrahim Ali's lawyer says the 13-year-old girl he's accused of murdering in a British Columbia park wasn't the “innocent” depicted in a “rose-coloured” portrayal by the Crown at trial.
'Jumped over their heads': Kangaroo escapes Ontario zoo during overnight stay
The search for a kangaroo that escaped an Ontario zoo will resume on Saturday morning, according to staff and volunteers.
Mild, rainy winter expected as Canada warms at twice the global rate
Winter will be unusually warm and rainy across much of the country this year, according to the latest data from Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Here's how Air Canada's new baggage tracking app works
Air Canada is hoping to give its customers more confidence when travelling with checked luggage through a new baggage tracking feature.
Paraguay official resigns after signing agreement with fictional country
A Paraguayan government official was replaced after it was revealed that he signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of a fugitive Indian guru's fictional country, who also appear to have duped several local officials in the South American country.
CSIS to probe B.C. office after allegations of rape, harassment and toxic workplace
Canada's spy agency says it has launched a workplace assessment of its British Columbia office over 'serious allegations' raised by whistleblowers who say they were sexually assaulted and harassed by a senior officer.