Resident of apartment says upstairs occupant lit himself on fire, jumped
One man was taken to hospital in serious condition after a fire broke out at a Mission apartment building while police were responding to a call in the building.
Calgary police were called to a multi-unit, three-storey building at 310 19th Ave. S.W. at about 6:20 a.m. Wednesday on reports of somebody experiencing a mental-health crisis.
They say a fire was started inside an apartment suite around 8 a.m., and smoke was showing from a third-floor window as fire crews arrived on scene.
Visible damage to the building ’s exterior was minimal, but fire officials said damage to the suite of origin is extensive, with smoke and water damage throughout the building.
The fire was called under control at 8:42 a.m.
Steve Kary, a resident on the lower floor, said he heard a man screaming and calling out for help just after 6 a.m., after which police arrived on scene.
Kary said a man then lit himself on fire and jumped out of the third-floor unit, landing on his back, before being taken away in an ambulance.
“It looked to me like he was really badly hurt,” Kary said.
“His suite was on fire. There’s smoke damage up top. There’s water damage as a result of the fire.”
EMS said the man had “multiple serious injuries” and was taken to Foothills Hospital in serious but non-life-threatening condition, but declined to provide more details, saying it was a police matter.
Other residents were evacuated from the building and no one else was injured.
Fire crews went unit-to-unit after extinguishing the fire and rescued a cat, a dog and a tortoise. One cat was found dead in the suite where the fire started.
Police say an investigation is ongoing.