'Potentially deadly incident': Paving stones plummet from Calgary high-rise during wild wind
Calgary fire officials say no one was injured but several cars were damaged as a result of one downtown condo resident's not-so-bright idea.
Officials say they were called to respond to a scene in the 100 block of 13th Avenue S.W. at about 9:10 a.m. on Wednesday where several pieces of rock had landed on the street as well as on several vehicles.
An investigation by the Calgary Fire Department and Calgary Police Service soon found that a resident, living on the 27th floor of the nearby building, had used paving stones to weigh down a cover on his outdoor hot tub.
They say the man had intentionally done so to prevent the cover from flying off in the extremely high winds that occurred Wednesday morning.
However, the cover ended up flying off the hot tub anyway, "catapulting the paving stones" off the building.
"Thankfully, there were no injuries reported from this morning's potentially deadly incident," CFD said in a release.
It's not known how much damage was caused in the incident and there is no information on any charges laid.
WIND SIGNIFICANT AROUND HIGH-RISES
High wind speeds were recorded throughout Calgary and surrounding areas Wednesday morning, but officials say those conditions were particularly extreme in the downtown core.
"Winds and wind gusts can be especially significant in and around high rise buildings. To reduce your risk, keep your family and pets indoors if you can," CFD said.
All objects on balconies and yards should be properly secured to ensure they do not pose a danger to others in extremely windy conditions.
Storms like these also have the potential to bring down power lines, officials say, so if any resident happens to encounter one of these situations, they should stay clear and call 911 immediately.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.
Humanist group threatening to sue Vancouver over council prayers
The B.C. Humanist Association has threatened legal action against the City of Vancouver for allowing prayers at council, following a similar warning issued earlier this month to a smaller community on Vancouver Island.
LHSC performs a Canadian first in robot-assisted direct lateral spine surgery
Spine surgery may never be the same for people with chronic back pain and other physical ailments.