Calgary’s Evanston community faces emergency fire outbreak

Crews were on the scene in the community of Evanston earlier this Friday afternoon where a big fire has broken out at Evansglen Close.

The blaze first broke out around 2 p.m. as callers reported billowing black smoke that could be seen several communities away.

Currently, two houses have been virtually destroyed as fire crews battle it out with the raging fire.

A big fire has broken out in the community of Evanston (Photo: Calgary Lankan via Twitter)

CityNews has been getting reports of a lot of smoke in the area and one of our listeners called in to tell us what he’s seeing.

Clark Bellamy is at a school right across from the fire at Evansdale Commons.

“Just in the schoolyard just off of Evanston way here or Evansdale Common and right across from the school there are at least two very large houses that look like they are duplexes they are fully involved,” said Bellamy.

Bellamy says there appears to be two very large duplexes and there could be as many as four townhouses that are fully engulfed in flames right now.

A big fire has broken out in the community of Evanston (Photo: Max Latimer, CityNews Calgary)

A big fire has broken out in the community of Evanston (Photo: Max Latimer, CityNews Calgary)

“They’re right across from the school. There are at least two very large houses. It looks like there’s duplexes they are fully involved [with], unfortunately, there is a total loss. They are still burning, there’s aerial [firefighters] here they are trying to put out both houses,” said Bellamy.

“I would say it’s probably four residences but two very large houses [are] destroyed right across from the school. There’s four planes shooting from the roof and there is a total loss for sure,” said Bellamy.

Battalion Chief City of Calgary Fire Department, Alistair Robin, says people passing by first saw what was happening and called 911.

Robin says two large duplexes were fully involved when crews arrived and they called in a second alarm.

Robin says the fire was more challenging to put out because of high winds at the time which made dousing the flames much tougher.    

“There were two sets of duplexes that were fully involved in the fire and crews immediately started to work at extinguishment, primary search, and of course protecting the exposures and that was a real concern because of the high winds coincide at the same time the fire started,” said Alistair.

Crews called for backup to fight the blaze and there were 21 apparatus at the scene.

So far, Robin says there do not appear to be any injuries but they can’t confirm that until they get in for a search of the homes, and right now it’s still too hot to do that.

“Crews are continuing to put out hot spots making sure residents are safe in the exposed homes. The source homes have not had a search done yet due to the amount of damage and the fire still involved there,” said Robin.

“The investigator of course has been notified and dispatched and will be en route trying to determine the cause and origin once it is safe to do so,” said Robin.

In the meantime, police are asking drivers to avoid the area.

There are multiple traffic closures in effect along Symons Valley Parkway, Evanston Way, and Evanston Drive.

–With files from Lisa Grant