HOUSE FIRES IN NORTH EAST CALGARY DISPLACE TEN OCCUPANTS

At approximately 0200 this morning, the Calgary Fire Department responded to reports of a house fire on 50 St NE in the community of Rundle. The first arriving crew encountered two houses, one fully involved and the second, an adjacent home was starting to burn. While the Captain was doing his size up and calling for a second alarm his crews were confirming that all the occupants of the two homes were accounted for. Once these steps were taken, the Fire Fighters began to battle the house fires by utilizing both Offensive and Defensive fire tactics. The fires were eventually brought under control, with no damage to any other adjacent homes. At the present time crews remain on scene dealing with a ruptured natural gas line that continues to flare. The way the Fire Fighters are dealing with the gas line is to control but not extinguish the fire.  If the fire was extinguished prior to the line being shut down, the area would be flooded with natural gas. Both homes had working smoke alarms which woke the families and allowed them to exit the houses safely. This is a very good example of the importance of not only having smoke alarms in your home but testing them regularly.

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