70 displaced as firefighters battle massive blaze in south Edmonton, no injuries reported

Edmonton fire rescue crews were called to an early morning blaze at a townhouse complex in the Heritage Valley.

According to Edmonton Fire Rescue Service officials, the fire is at the corner of Desrochers Blvd and 35 Ave SW.

The first call came in at 4:27 a.m., with the first unit arriving at the scene at 4:32 a.m.

A second alarm was called immediately, and a third alarm was called at 4:49 a.m. to bring in more crews.

EFRS while responding to CityNews at 8:45 a.m. stated that 11 units were at the scene along with other EFRS supports. ATCO gas was also working in the area.

“There have been no injuries reported at this time and residents are being evacuated to buses staging in the area,” said EFRS. However, by Wednesday afternoon, police confirmed 70 people had been displaced due to the fire.

In a news release just before 6 a.m., Edmonton police said the area of 119th Street Southwest and 35th Avenue Southwest is closed to all vehicle traffic as police assist Edmonton Fire Rescue Services with a large structure fire.

Ryan Cooper who witnessed the blaze told CityNews, that many residents woke up to the blazing fire alarms. “When I arrived at the scene the entire multifamily complex was engulfed in flames reaching over three stories tall. It was only 5 degrees Celsius with a slight breeze, but you could feel the heat from 80m away.”

Edmonton Public Schools said the nearby Dr. Anne Anderson High School will be closed on Wednesday due to the fire.

“This morning, we let parents and families know about the school closure through our emergency messaging system,” the school board said in a statement.

“We are asking students and families to stay away from the school and the area as fire crews continue their work.”

The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage is not known at this time, and police have confirmed an investigation is ongoing.

“Officers will be canvassing the area in the coming days to collect dash camera or home security video footage that was actively recording at 1 a.m. or later on Sept. 18, 2024,” says Det. Chantelle Kortbeek with IRT. “Anyone with a camera active at this time is asked to please retain that footage and contact police.”

Anyone with any information, is asked to contact investigators at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.