Northeast Edmonton apartment fire caused by person smoking while using home oxygen: EFRS

Edmonton firefighters work to put out a blaze at a multi-residential building on 134 Avenue and 49 Street, May 6, 2025. (Darcy Ropchan, CityNews)

By Manoj Subramaniam

Posted May 8, 2025 1:06 pm.

A person smoking while using home oxygen was the cause of a three-alarm fire in an apartment building in northeast Edmonton Tuesday, the Edmonton Fire PIO has revealed.

One person, whose health status remains unknown, was hospitalized in the blaze at a multi-residential building near 134 Avenue and 49 Street.

It is unclear if the injured person was the one smoking.

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services firefighters arrived on scene at 1:31 p.m. and quickly called a second-alarm fire to bring in additional crews. The fire was upgraded to a third alarm at 2:07 p.m., bringing more crews to the scene.

EFRS says crews assisted with evacuations.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has previously warned that concentrated oxygen — such as when a patient receives home oxygen therapy — is a fire hazard that can cause flames to ignite and burn quickly. Following an incident in 2015, AHS strongly recommended anyone receiving home oxygen not to smoke or be near a smoker.

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