Two hospitalized in serious condition as fire destroys pair of homes in NE Calgary

A two-alarm fire destroyed a pair of homes Saturday evening in the northeast Calgary community of Taradale and left two people hospitalized in serious condition.

Calgary Fire was called to the scene on the 100 block of Taradale Close NE shortly before 5 p.m., where firefighters battled blazes at a single-family home and a neighbouring building that contained a basement suite and an upper suite.

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“There was a huge volume of fire when crews arrived,” district fire chief Dave Nelson said. “Both homes had a lot of fire involvement. It spread very, very quickly.”

Nelson also said firefighters pulled two people from the basement suite. Calgary EMS workers took them to hospital in critical condition.

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Crews brought the fires under control in about 45 minutes, but it is unlikely the 10 people who lost their homes will be able to return, Calgary Fire said.

The cause of the fires is under investigation, and it is currently believed they began outside, and possibly between, the two homes.

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