Blast destroys Westwood home
Fire investigators work to determine cause; whereabouts of resident unknown
Fire investigators remain on scene in north-central Edmonton after a house explosion and resulting fire rocked the neighbourhood of Westwood before noon Monday.
Emergency crews responded to reports of an explosion around 11:40 a.m., district fire Chief Tim Famulak said at the scene near 120 Avenue and 102 Street.
“They reported there were doors off, windows blown in, flames from the front and the side, so immediately we did a defensive attack since it was pretty much fully involved when we arrived,” said Famulak. Five units responded as well as police and emergency medical services.
Famulak confirmed an explosion led to the fire and resulted in the front door being ripped off, but the cause remains unknown.
Next-door neighbour Hope Robinson-Smyke said she was in her kitchen when she heard a huge bang and the explosion shook her home.
“It sounded like somebody either plowed into the house or something fell through the ceiling,” she said. “The whole front door frame had blown off the house pretty much.”
She said the booming noise was unlike anything she’s heard before, but the fire was under control quickly when fire rescue services arrived.
Fire crews worked to control the flames, and plumes of smoke were still billowing out from what is left of the home’s roof Monday afternoon, with the main floor of the home gutted.
The fire was under control around 1 p.m., Famulak said, with plans to turn the scene over to fire investigators to determine the cause and damages once it was completely extinguished.
“There’s only slight damage to the neighbouring places, no extension of any fires,” he said.
No occupants were found in or around the home when emergency crews arrived on scene, and the occupant’s whereabouts were unknown, Famulak said.
Robinson-Smyke said a man lived in the house alone, but she didn’t see him at all Monday ahead of the explosion.
Relatives of the man who lived in the home arrived in shock to see the house in flames and were relieved to hear he wasn’t inside.
Edmonton police were at the scene canvassing nearby homes, as many neighbours in the area were out watching the firefighters tame the flames.
“Anytime there’s an explosion, EPS are always going to be informed,” Famulak said.
An update on the cause of the fire is expected when the investigation is complete, with no set timeline.