An Edmonton man who narrowly survived a house fire on New Year’s Day says he’s worried he will end up on the street.
Ryan Libke was asleep Monday in a basement suite he rented in a home near 108th Street and 75th Avenue when he woke up at around 3 a.m. to find melted plastic dripping on his clothing and flames shooting across the ceiling.
He first thought it was a dream.
“I kind awoke to flames and hot heat,” he said. “I kind of opened up my door and there were flames throughout the hallway. It kind of came to me that it wasn’t a dream but at the same time I didn’t know if I was even going to be able to make it. Just seeing the flames and stuff, just to put my head down and basically try to barrel out.
“I surprised myself even that I got out.”
Libke ran outside in the -30 C weather wearing just socks, sweatpants and a sweatshirt. He looked back at the house, heard crashing and glass breaking, and knew he couldn’t go back for anything.
He tried knocking on neighbours’ doors and yelling in the street for help. He ran to 109th Street, where cars kept whizzing by. He eventually got into a retirement home. The alarms went off, triggered by smoke drifting from his burning home, he said. When firefighters showed up, he told them it was his house up in flames.
The fire was declared under control just after 5 a.m. and firefighters prevented it from spreading to neighbouring homes, Edmonton Fire Rescue said.
Ryan Libke survived a house fire on New Year’s Day. He says he has one more night in a motel provided by the Red Cross, and isn’t sure where he’s going to end up after that. (Scott Neufeld/CBC)
‘It’s a complete loss’
Libke was set up at a south-side motel by the Red Cross. Wednesday was expected to be his last night there, and he said he didn’t know what he’ll do next. A geologist who is currently out of work, he has no savings and did not have tenant insurance.
He wasn’t injured in the fire, but said his feet are sore from possible frostbite.
Edmonton Fire Rescue spokeswoman Maya Filipovic initially told CBC News the home was unoccupied at the time of the fire. On Wednesday, she said “muddled information” from initial reports led to the error. She confirmed there was one person living in the home.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. Fire investigators were expected to return to the house Wednesday evening, she said.
Fire investigator Ian Smith said damage is estimated at $430,000.
“The property is fenced off. It’s a complete loss,” he said, adding the homeowner is not in the country and has not yet been contacted.
The homeowner is currently in China caring for his sick father, said Libke, who moved in four months ago and signed a one-year lease.
He said he noticed problems with the basement suite during his first inspection. When he went to test the unit’s smoke alarm, it didn’t work and fell off the ceiling. He was told it would be fixed by the time he moved in, but he’s not sure if it ever was.
He started noticing more issues with the unit after he moved in.
“There was water leaking through the electrical [outlets] when the upstairs tenants would have showers and baths. That would come down through the fluorescent fixtures and stuff into my washroom,” he said.
‘There was water leaking through the electrical [outlets] when the upstairs tenants would have showers and baths.’ – Ryan Libke
He saw “sketchy-looking” exposed wiring going through the insulation and the dryer wouldn’t turn itself off after a cycle — he had to open the door to stop it.
His landlord offered him his damage deposit and two months rent back to move out by the end of the month, Libke said. He’s not sure why the landlord wanted to break the lease, but suspects he planned to demolish the home.
Libke said he hasn’t been able to contact his landlord since the fire. He’s now focusing on trying to get the basics: food, water, shelter. He’s had a friend help him with some clothing, but so far has nowhere to live after Wednesday night.
“I’m still alive, I’m happy for that,” he said. “But at the same time, I’m not too sure what’s up for the next few days.”