Strathcona Hotel fire smouldered for 11 hours before firefighters called
CBC News | Posted: April 1, 2019 8:12 PM | Last Updated: April 1, 2019
Sparks from grinder ignited insulation in roof of iconic hotel
The fire at the Strathcona Hotel on Friday was sparked 11 hours before firefighters were eventually called, says Edmonton Fire Rescue Services.
Firefighters were called to the scene at Whyte Avenue and 103th Street at around 9:30 p.m. Friday, and battled the blaze for five hours before declaring it out at 2 a.m. Saturday.
Investigators have determined the fire started at around 10:30 a.m. Friday when sparks from a grinder ignited insulation in the attic.
A contractor doing renovation work at the hotel tried to use an extinguisher to put the fire out and thought he had been successful, fire rescue services said in a news release Monday.
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Fire crews were finally dispatched to the scene after a resident in a nearby apartment building called to report smoke coming from the hotel's roof.
The roof was badly damaged, but the building's iconic facade is still in place.
The damage estimate from the fire is still being determined.
Constructed in 1891, the hotel is one of Alberta's last 19th century wood-framed hotels, predating the province and the city.