‘So much illicit activity’: Sherwood Park fire investigated at problem home

A fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning at a Sherwood Park home known widely by neighbours as a problematic spot.

“So much illicit activity going on there that you couldn’t bat an eye to it anymore,” said Donovan Rogers, whose girlfriend alerting him to the commotion early in the morning.

Neighbours say they smelled smoke around 1:30 a.m. They tell CityNews the fire happened just days after the tenants moved out.

Emergency vehicles, fire investigators, and police were still on scene into Sunday afternoon. The home at 58 Glengarry Crescent was surrounded by police tape, dogs with handlers, and people in white hazmat suits investigating the wreckage.

The disturbance was not surprising to neighbours who say the property had a history of police activity. They also claim the property owners have been hit with multiple public-health orders.

While CityNews was at the scene Sunday, neighbours pointed out a vehicle, saying the property’s landlord was there.

“The owners behind me in this vehicle, they know exactly what was going on at this property the whole entire time,” Rogers said.

CityNews spoke to the people identified by neighbours as the property owners, trying twice to ask them about the fire.

“Please go away. I’m very sick. Please go away.”

Neighbours also approached the vehicle, trying to speak to those inside.

“I said, ‘Hey, David.’ I was like, ‘How’s it going?’ Just nothing, nothing in that response,” said Rogers.

“I want him to plead that he’s guilty to that. I want him to own up to his actions.”

Alberta Health enforcement orders name the property owners as David and Olga Zurowski.

Other neighbours had mixed feelings – glad the tenants have moved out, but hoping authorities will take more action after problems for so long.

“I don’t really know what to feel,” said Darcy Duncan.

“It’s gonna be, I guess, a little bit of relief knowing that it’s hopefully going to be torn down and something better will be put up there.”

Strathcona County Mayor Rod Frank put out a statement on Facebook Sunday about the fire in the Glen Allan neighbourhood, indicating the blaze was under investigation by both the RCMP and Strathcona County Emergency Services Fire Investigation.

“I understand and share the neighbours’ safety concerns about the ongoing challenges with this property,” Frank wrote.

“In addition to the fire investigation underway, the County will continue to pursue all actions available to us with Alberta Health Services, other agencies and the property owner to address this.”

–With files from Lauren Boothby