Dozens left without homes after 2-alarm fire late Sunday

Dozens of people were left without homes Sunday evening after a two-alarm fire damaged a 48-unit complex in the southeast Calgary community of McKenzie Towne.

Fire crews responded to the Prestwick Villas SE at 10 p.m. A second alarm was called in shortly after.

"Upon arrival, fire crews faced significant smoke and flame from an exterior corner and soon after, the entire roof of one of the buildings," the Calgary Fire Department wrote in a release early Monday.

"Firefighters quickly initiated an exterior fire attack with master streams, both from the ground and from an elevated position on aerial apparatus. Interior attack and searches were conducted in coordination with the exterior efforts. Residences on all sides were protected by crews operating exposure lines."

The top floor and roof were "severely" damaged and there is water damage throughout the structure, the release states.

Red Cross is working with displaced residents.

There were no reported injuries and the cause is under investigation.

The City of Calgary is still under a fire ban that was triggered by a major water main feeder break on June 5. During her daily morning update on Monday, Mayor Jyoti Gondek said situations like Sunday's fire are a reminder of why conservation efforts are so critical.

"Our ability to use less water for our daily routine has really resulted in folks at the Calgary Fire Department being able to access water when they need it for critical situations," Gondek said.

"Yesterday we had another very good example of why that supply is so important."