By TERRY PUGH
Fire crews from Warman, Martensville, Dalmeny and Osler had to contend with high winds and scorching temperatures as they battled a major fire in Warman that completely destroyed two homes and seriously damaged a third on Friday, May 29.
Fire crews were called to the scene of a fire on Redwood Crescent around 6:00 p.m. They arrived to find two homes completely engulfed in flames, with a column of thick black smoke blanketing the neighbourhood.
Warman Fire Chief Russ Austin said when firefighters arrived on scene, both homes were completely involved.
“On our arrival, the flames were through the roof on both houses and two adjoining houses were also involved,” said Austin. “As well, two garages over the back alley and a couple of houses across the street were smouldering.”
Austin said fire crews launched an aggressive attack with two pumper engines and an aerial truck.
“We also had engines from Osler, Dalmeny and Martensville assigned to different sectors, and with a real good team effort, we were able to contain it to the two original homes that were on fire,” said Austin.
He said when fire crews arrived, they were told the occupants of both houses had gotten out safely. Firefighters then went door to door and evacuated all the other houses.
He noted the loss of two homes and the serious damage to a third residence is unusual, adding it happened the same day that Saskatoon saw a serious blaze in which multiple homes were also lost.
“This was a fire driven by 70 kilometre an hour winds, and we had 60 foot flames going straight sideways out of the front of the houses that were burning,” said Austin. “It was basically a blowtorch.”
He noted, however, that it could have been much worse.
“Thankfully we have good people and good tactics and were able to contain it to the initial two houses,” said Austin. “We’re well-equipped and well-trained and we have great neighbours.”
Austin said that the cause of the fire did not appear to be suspicious.
Austin did note that while there were “no human fatalities,” there may have been at least one pet that unfortunately did not survive the fire.
In addition to the destruction of two homes, five vehicles were also destroyed in the fire.
The blaze was the sixth emergency call, and the second fire-related incident, for Warman Fire Rescue that day. Earlier they had responded to a grass fire in the alley behind the Warman 7-11. “It looked like a car fire but it turned out to be a grass fire around a car,” said Austin. “It appeared that something was dropped in the alley or thrown from a vehicle that started that grassfire, but quick action by neighbours using garden hoses kept it from spreading. They were able to hold it till we got there. They did the bulk of the work.”
Quick action by neighbours in the Redwood Crescent incident also played a positive role.
Warman City Councillor Tracy Johnson, who lives in the neighbourhood, was one of the first on the scene. She said the fire spread quickly. She and fellow City Councillor Marshall Seed, who also lives nearby, went door to door alerting residents of nearby homes.
“I noticed smoke from my house,” said Johnson, in an interview at the scene of the fire. “Marshall called 911 and he and I, along with another young lady, began knocking on doors making sure we got everyone out of their homes.”
She said the family whose home had caught fire all escaped from the building unharmed.
“The family were pretty distraught,” she said. “But all the people got out safely.
“The biggest concern was that the fire was starting to spread to the house next door. It was unreal.”
Even while the fire was burning, neighbours in the area turned out to offer material and emotional support to the families whose homes were affected.
Warman RCMP also responded to the scene and assisted with traffic and crowd control.
Fire crews had the fire under control quickly, and by 8:00 p.m., were ensuring hot spots were completely out.