North Edmonton apartment complex evacuated after Sunday fire

Fire crews douse hot spots after a north Edmonton apartment complex fire on Sunday, March 12, 2023 (CTV News Edmonton/Brandon Lynch).

One man was taken to hospital after an apartment fire in north Edmonton Sunday morning.

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services responded to reports of smoke coming from the roof of the complex, located at 126 Street and 152 Avenue, around 10:56 a.m.

Within minutes, crews were on scene. Forty minutes later, the call for reinforcements was sent as flames grew.

Resident Ian Brockie said he immediately evacuated his suite after hearing the fire alarms.

"As I came around the corner, immediately the fire trucks were here," he told CTV News Edmonton. "When they first started spraying water on it, there hadn't been flames.

"Then all of a sudden, it just engulfed and flames shot out."

CTV News Edmonton observed one resident being lifted away from their suite using the bucket on a platform fire engine. According to Alberta Health Services, paramedics assessed two patients at the scene, with one senior taken to hospital in stable condition.

Pat Chivers, EFRS district chief, said crews worked diligently to contain flames.

"As it progressed, it turned into a much bigger fire," Chivers explained. "A really good job by all the people on scene to evacuate the residents and get the fire under control in a reasonable amount of time."

"We locked it off," he said. "Any time a fire gets into the attic, it poses extra challenges… We want to go quickly but carefully."

In total, 16 firetrucks and 64 firefighters responded to the blaze.

There is no word on a cause or damage estimate.