‘Everything that we have here, we take it for granted … It will definitely make me way more cautious,’ said a neighbour
A fire on Thursday in the southeast community of Legacy killed one woman, charred a home and injured two firefighters.
Fire crews arrived at the 100 block of Legacy Path S.E. just before 3 a.m. A blaze at a townhouse unit had spread to neighbouring units.
A woman found on the third floor of the unit where the fire initially erupted was declared dead later in the morning. Police deemed the death non-criminal.
Patryk Chmura, whose house is farther down the road, arrived home from celebrating his father’s birthday to the destruction of his neighbour’s townhouse. Chmura, who lives with his mother, rushed to check on her.
Once safe, he began speaking with other neighbours, many of whom had spilled outside to the sounds of alarms. Firefighters had arrived within a couple of minutes, Chmura was told, because of the proximity of a fire station to the scene.
“They were doing a really great job,” Chmura said. “I feel we’re lucky that, you know, there’s a fire station just like nearby.”
However, the immediate threat to his house has forced him to contend with certain risks.
“Everything that we have here, we take it for granted,” he said.
“It will definitely make me way more cautious.”
As crews climbed to the second floor, two firefighters tripped, one falling on his neck and the second tumbling on his waist. Both were taken to the Foothills Medical Centre with minor injuries.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
‘When it’s just next door to you, it’s scary’
The strip of road beside the house destroyed by the flames and adjacent homes was taped by the police. A fire truck and a vehicle were stationed late Thursday morning as a couple of officials surveyed the area.
The mood in the neighbourhood was solemn, with the blaze jolting some to start taking precautions.
Osazuwa Aghedo, who lives a few doors down, was woken up by his wife close to 3 a.m. He could see clouds of smoke coiling up his house from his window. At first, he worried the smoke came from a fire in his home.
Then he ventured outside and found many residents watching a neighbour’s house burn as firefighters entered the building, later bringing out someone on a stretcher.
He spoke with those affected by the fires, trying to comfort them against the sound of alarms. He was worried about the fire spreading to his home.
“It’s very easy when you hear those things from afar, and then you can empathize and sympathize,” Aghedo said. “When it’s just next door to you, it’s scary.”
He said he’s been in communication with his neighbours through social media. He found out that nine families adjacent to the charred house had been evacuated, and the woman who died had two children.
He said he’s still in shock and has taken a holiday from work to process the tragic incident and the threat to his family.
“I wouldn’t be able to concentrate knowing I lost a neighbour, that my house almost got burned.”
Aghedo said the first thing he would buy is a fire extinguisher — but no measure could hide the heightened risk of interconnected townhomes that could be burned down by a fire alighted in another house.
For now, his major concern is the cause of the fire.
“We need more education on how to manage fire accidents,” he said.
“Because it’s really scary.”
Postmedia was awaiting an official statement from fire officials at press time.
