Trio who died in Crowfoot Crossing shed fire were seeking shelter: Calgary Fire
Posted Dec 12, 2023 9:14 am.
Last Updated Dec 13, 2023 7:58 am.
Three people who died when a shed outside a hardware store in Calgary’s northwest went up in flames Monday were just trying to shelter from the elements, the fire department says.
Calgary Fire and EMS arrived at the scene on Crowfoot Way NE just before 4 a.m. Monday, in the parking lot of a Lowe’s in Crowfoot Crossing.
“This is such a tragedy for the community,” Carol Hanke with the fire department said.
She says the person who called 911 and reported the blaze to police supposedly saw someone on fire.
“When fire crews arrived on scene and extinguished the fire, they tragically found three bodies inside,” Henke added.
Read more: 3 dead in shed fire in Calgary’s Crowfoot Crossing
There has been lots of reaction online to the devastating event, with many people describing it as terrible and heartbreaking, while others who allegedly live in the area are saying they have seen an increase in homeless people in the area searching for shelter.
The president and CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness says the death of the trio is a “tragic, deadly consequence of our brutal and exploding homelessness crisis.”
Tim Richter says the three people were among at least 260,000 people who will experience homelessness in Canada this year.
In a statement to CityNews, the Calgary Homeless Foundation calls the events “profound and devastating,” expressing sympathies and condolences.
“Most of us begin our life journey in the comfort of home. Along the way, some find themselves without housing, and the reasons are complex, ranging from childhood and intergenerational trauma, addiction, mental health disorders, racism, and loss of employment in addition to systemic issues of poverty, lack of affordable housing and inflation,” president and CEO Patricia Jones said. “These challenges collectively contribute to individuals finding themselves without a home.”
The Calgary Homeless Foundation adds it is working with community partners and agencies, including Indigenous partners, city, provincial, and federal governments to work towards long-term, sustainable solutions to homelessness.
“It takes all of us working together to unpack the complexity of homelessness to support all Calgarians to have a home with the appropriate supports to thrive,” Jones said.
Sandra Clarkson with the Calgary Drop-In Centre agrees.
“Any loss of life due to being unhoused is very troubling,” she said. “We need more affordable housing, we need more supportive housing, we need more deeply affordable housing.
“If people had a place to live, this wouldn’t be happening.”
The fire has been deemed non-criminal, and police say no more details will be provided until the families of those who died have been contacted.
A small memorial has been set up at the scene where the fire took place, and all surrounding sheds have been boarded up.
-With files from The Canadian Press
