A garage near Rundle Park in Edmonton was gutted by fire following an apparent explosion Sunday night, which investigators have deemed suspicious.
Fire crews responded to a report of an explosion in the area of 34th Street and 105th Ave at about 6:30 p.m. They arrived to find a garage ablaze, with a car still inside.
“They quickly got that under control,” said district fire Chief Gary Gamble, noting it took about 20 minutes to get the blaze under control.
Freezing temperatures provided an extra challenge for the firefighters who worked to douse the flames, Gamble said.
“It’s very difficult. Conditions are bad,” he said. “It makes everything worse when it’s very cold.”
The owners of the garage and home next door are in Ontario, but one of their family members was on scene, Gamble said.
Investigators don’t yet know what caused the fire, but are treating it as suspicious. Investigators and Edmonton police were on scene talking to witnesses Sunday night.
The garage was gutted in the fire. (Zoe Todd/CBC)