A massive fire that destroyed a condominium building in the Sutherland neighborhood of Saskatoon on Saturday was caused by improper disposal of smoking material in a plastic container, according to fire investigators.
At a news conference Sunday, Saskatoon Fire Chief Morgan Hackl said investigators found the fire broke out outside the ground floor of the northwest corner of the building due to of improper disposal of smoking material near the building. The container had no sand or water at the bottom to remove the materials.
It ignited, starting a fire that would cause damage of about $ 5 million.
Fire Chief Morgan Hackl said five people were rescued from a fire that destroyed a condominium building in the Sutherland neighborhood on Friday night and no one was seriously injured. (Dayne Patterson / CBC News)
Firefighters arrived at the scene two and a half minutes after receiving the fire alert at 11:30 p.m.
When the first supplies arrived, all the north and west walls of the building were completely surrounded by fire and flames were moving across the roof of the three-story building on the corner of 108th Street and Bryans Avenue.
Firefighters spent seven hours struggling to take control of the growing fire, much longer than the usual time needed to control a fire, Hackl said, and another 7½ to completely extinguish the fire.
By the end of the more than 14 hours at the site, more than 80 workers had taken part in the firefight.
Firefighters rescued five people from their condominium units, officials said, some of whom had mobility problems and were unable to escape from their suites.
Of the 24 suites in the building, 23 were occupied at the time of the fire. One person was assessed for injuries at the scene, but no one was hospitalized.
Although no occupants or firefighters were injured, Hackl said firefighters had to enter a “dangerous situation” to rescue the occupants.
In his 35 years as a firefighter, Hackl said, he has seen other similar fires and those that burned with that intensity also had highly flammable exteriors.
Modern construction is an important factor in gravity
On Sunday afternoon, people continued to stop to take pictures of the shattered building close enough to smell the soaked ash.
Right inside the cage of the caged building, there were still clothes on hangers scattered through the rubble. The northwest side of the building looked as if it had split, with protruding insulation and broken wires hanging like vines in front of what looked like a kitchen.
Hackl speculated that the fire could have been less severe had it not been for the modern building materials used in its construction.
“A structure, which has a vinyl siding, a lot of different glulam [a structural material manufactured through the union of individual wood segments] and oriented wire board material containing glue content: when the fire sticks to this product it moves very quickly; very hot burning, “Hackl told reporters.
Owners’ personal belongings, including clothing, were scattered among the rubble outside the condominium building on the corner of 108th Street and Bryans Avenue. Charred wood chips were also spilled beyond the fences surrounding the building. (Dayne Patterson / CBC News)
The fire rose through the vinyl siding and “quickly moved into the open space of the roof reinforcement,” he said.
Hackl said associations and unions continue to push for better building materials.
“It has focused very well on the inside of the buildings and early activation, and we continue to defend the outside of the buildings,” he said.
Several buildings on 108 W. Street were also evacuated, although none of them were damaged by the fire, and the road was completely cut off from traffic.
Four vehicles were damaged by the fire.
The fire was not fully controlled until 5 a.m. Saturday. Part of the structure was dismantled by an excavation company to make sure all the hot spots had been extinguished and to prevent a further collapse.
An excavation company was asked to help make sure the hot spots were extinguished and reduce the risk of further collapse. (Saskatoon Fire Commission)
Hackl emphasized one aspect of the home fire response: No one turned on the fire alarm, even though it worked. He said it is important, especially in multi-residential complexes, for people to sound the alarm and alert others in the building.
“Much of the public’s early intervention was actually people outside the building trying to warn people to come out, and also someone inside the building moving down the aisles and alerting people by shouting.” , he said.
The building did not have sprinklers in the suites or in the common areas.
Officials say the Sutherland condominium building destroyed by a fire on Friday night is a total loss. (Dayne Patterson / CBC News)
Major Mike Hoeft, Saskatchewan Salvation Army Area Area Commander, told CBC News that the organization organized hotel rooms for 12 families displaced by the fire Saturday.
Hackl said, as far as he knew, everyone had been relocated either with family, friends or through an organization. I wasn’t sure how many people were to be accommodated.
The site has been ceded to the condominium board property management company and must be secured.