A man managed to escape unharmed from a fire on St. Vital Avenue early Friday morning that did serious damage to the home.
A fire started in the house, located between Madonna Drive and Muir Drive, shortly after 5 a.m. and fire crews quickly responded to the scene.
Capt. Rob Bonner with the St. Albert Fire Department said the fire began in a lit fireplace but did not stay contained.
“It looks like it breached through the fireplace and into the wall.”
Firefighters had to cut through the ceiling to attack parts of the fire that had spread into the attic space as well as to ventilate the building.
From the outside most of the damage appeared to be on the eastern edge of the property, around the small home’s living room.
At the scene Friday, Bonner said the damage to the home was substantial, but he didn’t have a full estimate.
“The ceilings are ripped off in the living room and about halfway down the wall and the roof is cut on both sides, so it is fairly extensive.”
Homeowner Mazin Fakhreddine surveyed the damage Friday morning and said he was glad the blaze didn’t damage any of the large trees on the property or any of his neighbours.
“I am just glad that the fire department was able to put it out quick without any damage to the surrounding homes.”
Fakhreddine had been renting the house to a friend at the time of the blaze.
He said the friend had even been in the process of moving out just before the fire broke out.
He commended the fire department for getting on the blaze so quickly.
“It was an excellent job by the fire department. I really have to give them an ‘A’ on their response time.”
