Firefighters battle massive blaze in south Edmonton

Edmonton fire crews were called to an early morning blaze in the city’s deep south.

The fire is located in the area of Desrochers Boulevard Southwest and 35th Avenue Southwest.

In a news release just before 6 a.m., Edmonton police said the area of 119th Street Southwest and 35th Avenue Southwest is closed to all vehicle traffic as police assist Edmonton Fire Rescue Services with a large structure fire.

The scene remained very active around 6:30 a.m., with several ladder trucks being used to spray water on the fire.

Details about the fire are limited at this time, but people who live in the area tell Global News the complex was under construction.

Ben Friesen lives in a nearby condo building and woke up around 4:30 a.m. to noise and commotion outside.

“I wasn’t sure what it was. I couldn’t fall back asleep and I hear someone running around outside yelling, ‘fire!’ The rest of the guys in the house and I got up and just got outside as quickly as possible.

“This section that’s all burned down was a framing job so it wasn’t completed finished. We got outside and saw it completely engulfed in flames. It was a pretty crazy sight.”

“I’ve always had concerns about this particular community and how tightly packed it is,” area resident Doug Woolar said. “You put all the fire protections in that you can but it’s tragic. Truly tragic.”

more to come…

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