Fire breaks out in compactor at SE Calgary commercial building

Fire crews were called to a structure fire at a commercial building in southeast Calgary on Monday afternoon.

The incident occurred around 1:15 p.m., when smoke was reported coming from a large compactor adjacent to the building near 58 Avenue SE and 2 Street SE.

Upon arrival, firefighters confirmed that all staff had safely evacuated the building. No injuries were reported.

Crews deployed multiple hose lines, including a high-volume line, to tackle the blaze. Smoke had spread throughout the building, prompting firefighters to attack the fire from several angles.

Firefighters used chains connected to their rescue truck to pull the compactor away from the structure, allowing direct access for water application.

Due to the compactor’s size and contents, crews tapped into a hydrant located across 58 Avenue SE. Police assisted by temporarily closing the road in both directions to prevent vehicles from driving over the hoses.

The fire was eventually extinguished, and crews ventilated the building using fans and the HVAC system. A CFD fire investigator attended the scene and confirmed the fire was contained to the compactor

The roads reopened in the area before 3:30 p.m.