5 displaced, child in hospital after fire ravages NE Calgary duplex

Five people have been displaced after a fire ravaged their homes in a two-storey multi-family duplex in northeast Calgary on Saturday.

Calgary Fire Department crews responded to multiple calls at around 2 p.m. for a home ablaze in the Livingston area on the 100 block of Calhoun Common.

Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke and fire seeping from the back and the roof of the duplex.

While they also saw residents evacuating, firefighters say the fire was spreading over to a nearby home, and some occupants couldn’t leave their homes.

However, neighbours were spotted helping one occupant from the burning building as they were arriving.

Firefighters kept another structure from catching fire, but say damage was “substantial” to both sides of the main duplex. Damage to adjacent structures included smoke and burned siding.

Meanwhile, a child was taken to hospital with minor smoke exposure, and a man from the source home was assessed by paramedics on scene.

While the cause is unknown as of publishing, CFD says having an escape plan and working smoke alarms can save lives, and asks Calgarians to “ensure that you test your alarms and practice your escape.”