E-bike battery caused fire west of downtown Edmonton that sent 2 people to hospital: EFRS
CBC
Two people were taken to hospital after a fire tore through a unit in an apartment building just west of downtown Edmonton Wednesday evening.
On Thursday, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services told CBC News the fire was caused by an e-bike battery.
A City of Edmonton spokesperson said fire crews arrived at the scene on 115th Street, south of Jasper Avenue, just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
The fire was put out at 7:44 p.m.
A fire official at the scene told CBC News the blaze started in an apartment on the sixth floor.
He said a person living in the affected apartment was spotted jumping off the balcony and landed on the canopy of the building's sign.
The official said she was taken to hospital in serious condition, and that another resident of the same apartment was also taken to hospital.
According to EFRS, around 80 people were forced from the 12-storey building because of the blaze. Twenty residents were able to find temporary housing, while around 60 were either able to return to their units or were staying with family or friends.
Dana Campbell lives in an apartment building just across the street. She spent the evening helping out the evacuees who were sheltering in nearby buildings.
“I heard some neighbours yelling off my balcony. And then I saw a bunch of fire trucks coming around the corner,” she said.
“The building across the street had flames licking out of the patio."
EFRS said an early damage estimate by investigators is about $500,000.
EFRS officials are scheduled to hold a news conference on Friday to talk about lithium-ion battery safety and noted the event comes after "recent fire incidents."
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