Crews battle large fire at construction site in NW Calgary

Fire crews continue to monitor the remains of a large fire that completely destroyed a condo building under construction in northwest Calgary.

The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) tells CityNews calls came in just after 5 p.m. Friday about a massive fire on Arbour Lake Road west of Nose Hill Drive.

Thick black smoke was reported by several transit commuters and motorists throughout the northwest.

CFD battalion chief Alistair Robin says crews arrived at a big complex fully engulfed in flames — with two other buildings under construction alongside it — and worked “defensively” to get the fire under control “fairly quickly.”

“Our main concern was those exposures and the fire spreading to those buildings as well. So we set up on either side of the burning building so that we can protect those two,” he said.

“We did manage to do that. They weren’t damaged in the fire.”

Robin says there was nobody inside the building and no reported injuries.

However, he says multiple homes at the Watergrove Mobile Home Park had to be evacuated because they were directly in the plume of the smoke along with embers from the burning building.

“We were concerned with both fire and air quality for those residents, so we evacuated 28 homes,” Robin said. “Luckily they have a clubhouse on that property, and they were able to be in there safely.”

He says they returned to their homes after about three hours.

Robin says firefighters remained on the scene throughout the night and continue Sunday morning as they monitor the large propane tanks at the site, ensuring there are no flare-ups.

“One of the great things is that nobody was injured — either responders or citizens. So it was it was a win that way. And unfortunately, the middle buildings were gone, but it didn’t spread to the other. So loss was kept to a minimum and no injuries,” Robin said.

He says the cause continues to be investigated but notes it may be a mechanical issue.

With files from Lisa Grant