Garage fire spreads to Grovenor home, several houses evacuated

Several homes in the Grovenor neighbourhood were evacuated because of a fire early Monday morning.

The flames affected both a garage and a house on the same property, according to Edmonton Fire Rescue Services.

EFRS initially believed the fire broke out in the garage, but later investigators said they believed it originated elsewhere. They say the blaze is not suspicious. 

That home, as well as some neighbouring homes, were evacuated.

A neighbour who lives behind the property where the fire started, but who didn't need to leave his house, told CTV News Edmonton he woke up to flames just before 4:30 a.m.

"I heard my mom upstairs scream," Emil Dewald said. "I came up and looked out the side window and she was up in flames."

"The garage was on fire and the fire department was spraying, spraying my house, spraying this gentlemen's house," he said, pointing to another neighbour's property.

According to EFRS, the blaze was reported at 4:25 a.m. and the first of seven crews sent to the scene arrived at 4:30 a.m.

As of 6:30 a.m., firefighters were still on scene.

"I couldn't come out for a while, so I don't know what damage is on my house. The gentleman that lives right here, he was out with his hose spraying his house, just to save it. It's scary," Dewald said.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Lampa and Evan Klippenstein