Lightning started Edmonton apartment fire that displaced 19 families

Edmonton Fire believes a lightning strike may have caused an apartment fire in the north end.

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) said a lightning strike started a fire that broke out at a north Edmonton apartment building during a thunderstorm Wednesday afternoon.

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According to EFRS Capt. Kevin Espetveidt, crews in the area heard the “cracks and booms” of thunder and lightning before the fire at the building on 144 Avenue and 82 Street was spotted by the fire chief on the way to a different fire.

“He got through this intersection here and saw smoke coming out of this building,” Espetveidt said. “It got called in, and their alarm panel was going off in, so maybe (it was) struck by fire or struck by lightning.”

Bystander Peter Chrapko was driving on 82 Street when he saw a lightning strike, followed by black smoke coming from the building. He said he pulled over and ran inside to help.

“It was crazy smoky in there,” Chrapko said. “We were running through the hallways, banging on the doors – especially on the top floor – just making sure nobody’s up there where the fire was.”

“I feel for the people that live there,” he added. “It’s tough when something like that happens to you.”

Espetveidt said the fire started in the foyer of the building. Residents were evacuated and firefighters were able to attack the fire from underneath the third floor before it could spread to the next building.

He called it a “stubborn fire” due to the wood-chip insulation used in the older building.

“The water doesn’t permeate through the wood chips very well,” he explained. “Lots of ceiling had to get pulled down, but we did manage to get it stopped, and no fire spread, really, into the suites.”

While there was no real fire damage, Espetveidt said people’s homes would have water damage from the firefighting efforts. EFRS estimated the damage to the building to be about $500,000.

The Canadian Red Cross said on Thursday it was providing food, accommodations and other services for 19 households impacted by the fire.