Firefighters on the scene of a house fire in the Mountview neighbourhood Monday night. (Photo credit: Sandy Chinski)

By Sheldon Spackman

No Injuries

Investigators looking into causes of two separate house fires in Red Deer over the long weekend

Aug 8, 2023 | 12:13 PM

Thankfully, no one was hurt during a house fire in Red Deer’s Mountview neighbourhood Monday night.

According to Curtis Schaefer, Assistant Deputy Chief, Red Deer Emergency Services (RDES), crews were called to the scene on 37 Street shortly before 6:00 p.m., and upon arrival, found a single-family home and detached garage fully involved in flames.

(Photo credit: Sandy Chinski)

“Initial response, we had 17 members on scene and we’ve since increased it to 21, and now up to 26,” explained Schaefer. “Plus, one ambulance on standby for the crews, and one command unit here as well.”

He described the blaze as a bit of a stubborn fire, noting crews were on scene for several hours.

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(Photo credit: Sandy Chinski)

“Not sure on the cause at this time,” said Schaefer. “We had trouble shutting down the gas line, so that didn’t help us with the fire as well, but we’ve got that shut in now and the power is pulled.”

Schaefer says two adult occupants were able to evacuate safely while crews were able to prevent any damage to neighbouring homes.

He believes the fire began on the back side of the house, potentially on the deck, but admits they’re still investigating those details. Schaefer says both the home and detached garage, however, have been damaged beyond repair.

“When the fire gets up into the attic space of any home, it’s difficult for us to gain access, just cause of the location of it,” adds Schaefer. “It’s above the drywall in the main part of the house, so we can’t go inside the house for safety reasons to fight it, so we’re trying to fight it from the outside through the soffits and push it up there, so it’s difficult to get large amounts of water up through the soffits to be able to extinguish the fire.”

Meantime, investigators are also looking into the cause of another house fire that took place in Red Deer’s Glendale neighbourhood on Sunday.

Schaefer says crews were called to that one just after 6:30 p.m. on Gish Street.

He says crews found the home fully involved in flames when they arrived, but adds, no one was home at the time, with no evacuations or injuries.

A home on Gish Street in Red Deer was destroyed by fire Sunday night. (rdnewsNOW/Sheldon Spackman)

Schaefer says firefighters remained on scene for a couple of hours fighting the large blaze, but acknowledges the home, unfortunately, is damaged beyond repair. He notes, however, that crews were able to protect a neighbouring home to the west, which he says suffered only minor damage.

According to Schaefer, 19 staff and four Emergency Services vehicles were on scene, including a command unit and one apparatus.

He says the fire was contained to the home itself and back deck area, with a nearby detached garage not being affected.

Schaefer believes the fire started in the basement, with the cause still under investigation.