Fire chief says house fire in downtown Yellowknife 'under control'

A fire at a home in downtown Yellowknife on Sunday evening is "under control," says the city's fire chief.

Several firefighters and trucks were on scene at a home on 50A Avenue, near Northern United Place at about 6 p.m.

John Fredericks, fire chief for the city of Yellowknife, said his department got a call at about 5:55 p.m., and deployed his crews shortly after. He said everyone living at the house is out safe.

Fredericks said the fire started in the "rear of the house," and he doesn't know what caused it yet, but said there is an ongoing investigation.

Another home nearby had damage and melting to its sides, he added.

"We have it under control," said Fredericks at about 7:30 p.m., adding that there were concerns over heavy winds in the city Sunday.

Around that time, major flames were quelled but firefighters were still spraying the house and smoke was still coming out of it, according to a CBC reporter on scene.

Just black smoke billowing over our yard and a lot of heat coming from the house next door.- Aaron Doan, neighbour

Neighbours told CBC News that they noticed the fire shortly after 6 p.m. local time Sunday. 

Aaron Doan said he lives next door to the house that's burning.

"Just black smoke billowing over our yard and a lot of heat coming from the house next door, so we just packed up our kids and left," he said. 

Doan said his neighbours who live in the house that was on fire got out safe.

"We saw them first thing when we came out. They were on the sidewalk watching."  

WATCH | Firefighters hose down home on fire on 50A Avenue

Technician says 'explosions' due to power line shorting

Matthew Martin, a CBC North employee who lives in an apartment complex behind the home on fire, said he heard "numerous explosions" on Sunday evening when he noticed the fire across his backyard.

"Smoke drifted ... over my backyard," Martin wrote in an email.

William Goertzen, a powerline technician for Northland Utilities, said he was on a call for a tree that fell over nearby, when he got called to the house fire. 

WATCH | What the fire looked like from behind the home

Goertzen said the fire department calls Northland when requesting to shut down power for safety reasons.

"It was burning pretty good," he said.

The service wire that drops down to the house burned off, he said, and was on the ground.

"The line was shorting out on the ground. So it sounded like a bit of fireworks that was going on," said Goertzen, describing the cause. "It was what was causing that popping" 

Goertzen said he shut the power off in the area for about a dozen customers, and had plans to turn it back on Sunday evening.

Max Karwec said he lives down the street and was on a bike ride at about 6:30 p.m., when he saw smoke.

"[I] saw a big pile of black smoke. I thought somebody was having a bon fire but just using bad materials," said Karwec, standing across the home earlier Sunday. "But then I saw it was coming from inside the house." 

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