The Calgary Fire Department battled a pair of house fires in the northwest community of Citadel on Friday, leading to the use of 20 fire apparatus to battle the blazes.
The fires, which began at around 12:20 p.m., saw the department responding to the homes, which were already fully engulfed in flames.
“Crews on scene immediately began an aggressive interior attack on the homes in attempts to bring the fire under control and search for any occupants,” said CFD.
“Due to the size of the fire, additional staffing was required, and a third alarm was struck.”
The department said that one adult male was missing, and presumed dead, from the fires. A neighbour of the affected family said that the man lived in the basement of the home.
The conditions of the fire, and the damage to the structure, prevented firefighters from doing a full search of the home.
“The Calgary Fire Department would like to remind all Calgarians of the importance of having and practicing an escape plan, if your home is on fire,” said CFD.
“In addition, the CFD would like to stress the importance of having working smoke alarms on all levels of your home as well as inside each bedroom and to to ensure they are checked regularly.”
The Calgary Fire Department said several other nearby homes were damaged due to the heat from the fire.
