Two months, four structure fires – all caused by the same thing
LETHBRIDGE – A total of 24 apartments are uninhabitable, with six of the units having sustained major heat, smoke and water damage, and 46 people are homeless as a result of Thursday’s apartment fire on the north side.
There is no damage estimate available, as the Fire Prevention officer has yet to speak with all the residents and the property owners. However, he expects it to be a high dollar value and he was able to confirm the blaze was due to improper disposal of smoking materials.
The fire consumed a significant portion of one of the four complexes located at the corner of 23rd avenue and 13th street north.
Fire officials received a 911 call around noon. A total of 21 firefighers from three stations arrived at the structure a short time later, to find part of the north-east building engulfed in flames. The fire started on the exterior of the buiilding with witnesses stating they saw flames on a first floor balcony.