An aggressive fire in Saskatoon’s Varsity View area displaced 14 people just before midnight on Thursday.
When the Saskatoon Fire Department got to the scene of a reported shed fire on College Drive, additional calls reported the fire had spread to the 16-suite Inn on College.
Two more fire engines and an aerial ladder truck were dispatched and crews ensured all residents were evacuated from the building.
A city bus was called to the scene to provide temporary shelter for the 14 people. The Salvation Army found the residents a place to stay for the rest of the night.
The fire department said crews managed to retrieve many of the residents’ belongings.
The fire department called the fire “challenging” and was able to extinguish it within an hour.
Crews used interior and exterior methods to locate and extinguish the fire including a thermal imaging camera.
The investigation into the fire is complete.The cause is undetermined and initial damage is estimated at $250,000.
