INNISFAIL - Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of an early morning house fire last week that caused serious damage to the garage and the back of the home.
The Innisfail Fire Department received a call at about 4 a.m. on Nov. 6 to respond to a house fire at 4708 - 50th Ave. Fire chief Gary Leith said firefighters were at the scene within eight minutes and immediately saw the house's garage and rear of the property lit up by the fire.
He said firefighters were able to have the fire under control "relatively quickly" but added his team remained at the scene for a total of four hours.
Leith said firefighters believe the roof between the house and the garage was the area first involved by fire. "And obviously it spread to the house and the garage," he said.
He said the garage and a room at the rear of the property sustained serious damage. Leith added the "majority" of the house was saved, although sections of the roof, particularly with the garage, were destroyed and collapsed. He added the contents of the garage sustained extensive damage.
The Province was told citizens in adjacent homes were evacuated while fire crews dealt with the blaze.
He said the damage cost to the home and garage is estimated to be between $50,000 and $70,000.
"The property was unoccupied at the time. We did search the property and established later the occupier was not at home," said Leith, adding one firefighter sustained minor injuries while dealing with the blaze and was treated at Innisfail Health Centre.
The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
