A third party is now inspecting equipment pulled from the home that exploded in northeast Calgary on Monday morning.
Just before 9 a.m. on March 27, an explosion leveled a home in the 700 block of Maryvale Way NE and set fire to other homes around it. At least eight other homes were damaged, according to Calgary fire officials. Vehicles in the area were also damaged, they said.
They are still investigating the cause.
“At this time, [the] Calgary Fire Department suspects the explosion was caused by a natural gas leak and has sent equipment pulled from the home for investigation by a third party,” read a statement provided Tuesday.
Ten adults were rescued from the scene and sent to different hospitals across the city. According to Adam Loria with Alberta Health Services EMS, six of these victims were transported in life-threatening conditions.
Community trying to muster victim assistance
Members of the South Sudanese community are pulling together to provide the families of those affected some support at this time.
A GoFundMe has been created by local community leader Gar Gar to help the victims.
“The 10 victims are currently in hospital and may have lost everything they have in the house explosion as well some of the victims may not have a place to return to. Some of the victims of this fire are in critical condition while others are stable,” read the GoFundMe post.
“One thing we do know for sure is that in minutes those 10 victims of this house explosion lives changed. While they are in the hospital in different conditions, they have lost everything.”
The post said that the money will go to help the victims in the hospital and then also help with accommodations when they’re discharged from hospital.
“The entire Calgary Fire Department would like to extend their thoughts and prayers to those who were injured, their families and their loved ones,” the statement read.
Results from the equipment investigation won’t be available for a few weeks, CFD said. They also do not have a damage estimate at this time.
