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Hours before 911 called in $13-million condo blaze
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Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON - Nobody placed a call to 911 for nearly four hours after a plumber’s torch ignited insulation in the boiler room of a south Edmonton condominium last month, resulting in a $13-million blaze that destroyed at least two-thirds of the building and left 100 people homeless.
Fifty of 82 suites were destroyed at the Heatheridge Estates building at 1815 111A St.
The Jan. 19 fire also caused smoke and water damage to other parts of the building.
A 10-day Edmonton Fire Rescue investigation found the fire began at 11 a.m. when a plumber and workers were repairing a two-inch copper line in the boiler room with a plumber’s torch.
The workers tried to extinguish the fire, which smouldered inside the ceiling, the walls, and spread for 3 1/2 hours. By 2:30 p.m. the building burst into flames.
Edmonton Fire Rescue wasn’t called until 2:40 p.m.
About 70 firefighters fought the blaze for 15 hours.
“I am confident an earlier 911 call would have helped mitigate the situation,” Fire Chief Ken Block said in a news release Friday.
Residents were allowed to access their suites on Wednesday.
Edmonton Fire Rescue is holding a media availability to talk more about the fire Friday afternoon.
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