'It's not safe' Fort McMurray apartment fire leaves city shaken
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but the blaze is not considered suspicious
After feeling the blistering heat of a downtown apartment fire on his face, Bachir Kourani says he no longer feels safe in Fort McMurray.
"I'm nervous now," said Kourani. "It was right next to my store, and next to my house."
Kourani was outside his downtown apartment building cutting the grass Monday night when a plume of thick, black smoke came into view less than a block away.
Already on edge, having just returned home from the Fort McMurray wildfire evacuation in early May, Kourani feared that the flames Monday were coming from his business, a tobacco shop on the city's main street Franklin Avenue.
He rushed over on foot, and soon realized the neighbouring apartment building, Cassia Manor, had erupted in flames.
Within minutes, the four-storey complex was a wall of roaring red flame, and the heat was so suffocating the siding on neighbouring buildings started to melt and peel away.
"The temperature from the fire was crazy," Kourani said. "You couldn't even stand over there. It was crazy."
Although his business remains intact, Kourani said the blaze has left him shaken. His wife and two young daughters who remain in Edmonton have become so fearful they've decided to delay their return to Fort McMurray.
"They were planning on coming today, but when they saw the video (of the fire) now they've changed their mind. They're not coming back," Kourani said. "They got scared, because I have young children."
The cause of the apartment fire remains under investigation. But this latest blaze has Kourani questioning whether the city is truly prepared for residents to return.
"It's not safe," he said. "They have to check everything to make sure it's safe before everybody comes back.
RCMP say the apartment fire, which erupted just days after residents returned to the wildfire-ravaged city, was likely accidental.
"Fire investigators have advised the RCMP that it did not appear suspicious at that time last night," said Cpl. George Cameron Tuesday morning. "However, they're going to continue with their investigation this morning."
It took more than an hour before firefighters were able to control the fire, which originated inside the complex, located downtown near Prairie Loop Boulevard and Franklin Avenue,
"Unfortunately, the apartment complex was completely destroyed and some surrounding buildings, from what we have been told, received minor damage from melting siding and that sort of thing," said Cameron.
Due to smoke damage from the wildfires, tenants had not yet been allowed to return to the building. But cleaning crews had been on site earlier that afternoon. Emergency officials could not say how many people live in the building.
"Thank goodness there were no reported injuries," Cameron said.
Fire officials say that the apartment fire was unrelated to the wildfires, and that their investigation continues.
