Man dies in Seventh Ave. garage fire and explosion
A man died from severe burns after his garage went up in flames while he was working in it Friday evening.
After receiving reports of an explosion and garage fire, emergency crews were sent to the 4400 block of Seventh Avenue around 8:40 p.m. Friday, according to a Regina Fire and Protective Services news release.
The detached garage was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene. Crews quickly located an injured man, believed to be in his mid-20s, with “very severe burns,” fire marshal Randy Ryba told reporters Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters worked to help the victim until EMS arrived and he was transported to hospital in critical condition, where he succumbed to his injuries late Saturday morning, Ryba said.
The man’s wife was in the house at the time of the fire and firefighters were able to safely evacuate her. Ryba said she believed her husband was “tinkering” in the garage at the time of the fire.
The smell of smoke still lingered on scene late Saturday afternoon. The garage roof was collapsed and the burnt-out shell of a vehicle was visible in the rubble.
A neighbour said she heard an explosion and noticed the flames when she ran outside to see what made the sound. One fire truck quickly arrived on scene and three others followed, she said.
The neighbour said she believed the victim was a mechanic and had been in the garage working on a car at the time of the explosion. She saw EMS load him onto a stretcher and take him to the hospital.
Ryba said a second explosion happened as crews battled the blaze caused by a nitrous oxide tank in the garage.
The blast knocked over a firefighter and knocked the helmet off of a second firefighter. It also sent shrapnel from the tank flying, some of which hit a fire truck and left a dent.
“Luckily our firefighters were not injured. It just goes to show the perils of garage fires. You never know what’s inside,” said Ryba.
Firefighters were on scene until around 1 a.m. and security was at the scene throughout the night as the scene was deemed unstable.
“We continue to assess the scene for safety and we will continue with this investigation until it’s concluded probably sometime (Sunday),” said Ryba.
The garage is a “total loss,” but the house on the property and the house across the alley sustained only minor damage from heat.
The fire department brought heavy equipment to remove any “danger areas” to prevent parts of the structure from collapsing on investigators.
Multiple fire investigators were on scene and the investigation is ongoing. Ryba said although the cause of the fire is unknown, it does not appear to be suspicious at this time.
Ryba said this is Regina’s first fire fatality in a year and a half.