'Improper disposal of smoking material' sparked $5M Saskatoon condo blaze
It took Saskatoon firefighters seven hours to get a condo fire under control and another seven-and-a-half hours to fully extinguish it.
“This was a large-scale fire and a difficult one to get under control,” Fire Chief Morgan Hackl said.
“The fire spread very quickly, and it required close to 80 staff rotating through the scene before it all over.”
Modern building construction includes vinyl siding, glued laminated timber and oriented strand board material that has glue content in it — and when it catches fire, the fire burns hot and moves quickly, he said.
"And that's what we had here. An exterior fire on the building that went up the vinyl siding and quickly moved into the open truss space in the roof."
The building is located in the 300 block of 108th Street West.
The fire was reported just before 11:30 p.m. on Friday. It was caused by the improper disposal of smoking material in an exterior receptacle at the northeast corner of the property, and the receptacle was flammable and didn't have sand or water to extinguish the smoking material, Hackl said.
The condo unit contained 24 units and damages are estimated at $5 million. Fire crews helped rescue five people inside the units, some of whom had mobility issues, so crews "had to enter a very dangerous situation to rescue these people," Hackl said.
Hackl said he was concerned that the fire alarm in the condo building had not been activated and reminded the public to do so at the first detection of smoke or fire.
"Without these alarms sounding, there will be people inside the building that still aren’t aware they need to get out immediately.”
No one was hurt. All residents have been rehoused with family and friends, the Ministry of Social Services or Salvation Army, he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fort McMurray evacuees welcomed home Saturday as crews make progress on wildfire
Residents of Fort of McMurray who were displaced over wildfire concerns were told to return home Saturday.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
Scottie Scheffler, from the course to jail and back: What to know about his PGA Championship arrest
Two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested after police say he dragged an officer while trying to get around the scene of a fatal accident Friday ahead of the second round of the PGA Championship.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Hot weather poses new risk as thousands remain without power after deadly Houston storm
As the Houston area works to clean up and restore power to hundreds of thousands after deadly storms left at least seven people dead, it will do so amid a smog warning and scorching temperatures that could pose health risks.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.