Edmonton Fire Rescue Services is investigating after an abandoned house was gutted by fire in south Edmonton on a brutally cold New Year’s Day morning.
Fire crews were called around 3:45 a.m. Monday to the property near the corner of 108th Street and 75th Avenue in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood.
“Fire crews arrived two minutes after to find a house fully involved in fire,” fire service spokesperson Maya Filipovic told CBC News on Monday. “The house was abandoned so there was no need to rescue anyone, and no one was injured.”
Temperatures dipped to a frigid – 35 degrees with the windchill overnight. The cold hampered the work of firefighters, said Filipovic.
Firefighters responded to a fire at an abandoned house in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood on New Year’s Day. (Zoe Todd/CBC)
Despite the frigid temperatures, crews prevented the fire from spreading to neighbouring properties. The blaze was considered under control shortly after 5 a.m., Filipovic said.
Initially, eight crews were called to the scene, but more were called in to provide members some relief from the extreme temperatures.
“The fire is still not completely out,” said Filipovic later Monday morning. “There is still one crew on scene waiting for some equipment to arrive so they can tear down part of the house to make sure it’s completely out.”
Investigators were still on scene determining cause and damages. Officials have to determine whether the fire is suspicious in nature.
Edmonton fire crews battled a fire in frigid temperatures early on New Year’s Day. (Zoe Todd/CBC)
“We might not know until investigators are able to get further in there,” Filipovic said. “Apparently, there is a lot of ice right now so they can’t do a full investigation.”