Fire rips through Saskatoon apartment building overnight
A major fire ripped through a three-story Saskatoon apartment building in the 300 block of 108th Street W overnight on Saturday.
The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) was on the scene before 1 a.m. Saturday where the wood frame construction with the roof was fully engulfed in fire, a SFD news release said.
Fire crews helped rescue multiple people inside the units. An updated news release from the department says no injuries for fatalities occurred as a result from the fire.
The fire investigator has determined the cause of the fire was accidental and started because smoking materials were improperly disposed of. The fire originated in the northwest corner of the ground floor outside of the building.
Damage is estimated to be around $5 million.
Adele Freimark lives next door and says she couldn’t fall asleep because every time she closed her eyes she could only see one thing.
“I just saw flames ... almost a dream," Freimark said.
Jaret Gentner lives roughly half a block away from the condo. He was watching TV in his basement when he heard his wife telling him to come upstairs. Within minutes, thick smoke turned into “hand-sized” embers flying off the roof. So he put on some coveralls and grabbed as many garden hoses as he could to try and help.
"It looked like the fires in the movie when they have the firestorms that have Armageddon. There were just big chunks of embers laying everywhere still burning.”
Gentner worked to soak his neighbors property and his own backyard. It wasn't until he got inside over an hour later when he realized one of the flying embers burned his neck.
Owen McKenzie lives next door and says the situation could have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for people across the street alerting people inside telling them to get out as fast as they could.
“We found our way out, but it was the kind of thing where you know what was happening, sort of, but you’re not sure," he said.
McKenzie thanked the police and firefighters for their quick work to get everyone out and manage the situation as best as possible. He also thanked residents across the street who offered blankets, water and coffee to evacuees who watched their homes slowly burn.
Waiting for power to be restored to his building, he was having trouble accepting the close call.
“Fire trucks going by and you usually hear them coming and then going, and this time they stopped at our address," he said. "Firefighters prioritized their efforts and, as we always do, SFD personnel worked as a team," the release said.
"This was a challenging fire due to many circumstances. Firefighters performed amazing rescues and battles extreme fire conditions."
The burnt portion of the building was partially taken down to properly extinguish the fire and reduce the risk of it collapsing further, the release said.
Some residents will require rehousing and the Salvation Army is making arrangements.
The fire department will hold a media conference at the #5 at 2 p.m. on Sunday to follow up with further information and details about the fire.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.