Firefighters were unable to save a home on an acreage south of Okotoks in an early morning blaze on Easter Sunday which has been called suspicious by RMCP.
Okotoks Fire Department received a call of a residential fire at the corner of 402 Avenue E and Dump Road (16 Street East) at approximately 4:30 a.m.
“The first crew got on scene, it (the fire) was fully involved, the flames were 40 feet in the air, so they went defensive right away,” said Dwight Seymour Okotoks Fire Department deputy fire chief. There was no one in the house at the time of the blaze.
“We got it under control fairly quickly, there were no other hazards or out-buildings that were close enough (to catch fire),” Seymour said at approximately 1:30 p.m. Easter Sunday.
Firefighters were busy taping off the scene Sunday afternoon.
“We are just taping it off, it has to cool down and the investigation will start tomorrow,” he said.
The fire was called in to Okotoks dispatch by a passing driver and later by an RCMP constable on patrol.
A media release from RCMP stated, “The initial investigation shows evidence that the fire may have been deliberately set. Members of the Okotoks RCMP detachment will be securing the scene until fire investigators are able to attend and further the investigation.”
Seymour would not confirm whether the fire was the work of arson.
“Until we start our investigation, along with the RCMP, we won’t be able to confirm anything,” he said.
Firefighters from the High River and Black Diamond fire department also assisted in getting the fire under control. There were an estimated 16 firefighters battling the blaze.
