Fire crews battle blaze at building under construction in Sunalta
Dave Dormer | CBC News | Posted: June 6, 2017 2:02 AM | Last Updated: June 6, 2017
Smoke and flames could be seen from several blocks away
Firefighters battled a large blaze at a building under construction in the southwest community of Sunalta on Monday evening.
Emergency crews were called to 15th Street and 16th Avenue S.W. just before 8 p.m. where they found a multi-family building under construction fully engulfed.
Smoke and flames could be seen from several blocks away.
Brandon Sadler and Nadia Hamilton were watching a movie in their home just a couple doors down from where the fire erupted when they noticed the colours on the walls changing.
At first they thought it was the sun being reflected through clouds, but seconds later they heard her father yelling it was a fire and to get out.
"We booked it outside and it was really, really hot, you could feel the fire on your face," she said. "People were banging on the neighbour's doors making sure everyone got out. There were people still in the apartments just beside the construction where the fire [started]. Families were coming out with children."
Sadler said flames were shooting about 10 metres into the sky.
Buildings on either side were also damaged.
About two dozen people were evacuated from neighbouring buildings and two fire investigators were called in.
"It's pretty extensive damage," said Battalion Chief Harley Spate.
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