House ablaze in northwest Calgary; fire department calls in Springbank, RVC for help

An abandoned house burned to the ground in Calgary on Tuesday afternoon, with huge flames and smoke visible from a distance.

A northwest Calgary house has been destroyed by fire, and a lack of water made it harder to contain the flames.

Tuesday’s fire sparked in the 0-100 block of Bowdale Crescent N.W.

The fire department noted its proximity to 16 Avenue N.W. and Sarcee Trail N.W.

The fire department, called in shortly after 2 p.m., asked for assistance from Springbank and Rocky View County because of a lack of water access in the area.

“Most of the city has hydrants, so we just hook up to a hydrant and that is our continuous and constant water supply, but in this particular area, that is not an option,” said Carol Henke, public information officer.

Calgary does have its own water trucks, but they were spread throughout the city.

EMS says it was called in around 2:15 p.m.

Its crews remained on standby.

At that point, there had been no injuries reported.

On social media, the fire department posted, “This is the second two-alarm fire this week, and it’s a reminder of just how demanding and unpredictable this work can be. We’re asking all Calgarians to give fire crews space to work safely and take caution in the area. Please avoid the scene if possible—your support helps us get the job done safely and efficiently.”

The home had been boarded up for awhile.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.