Calgary man killed in early morning house fire, woman in serious condition

A man has lost his life, and a woman is currently hospitalized in serious condition following a house fire early this morning in the Falconridge neighborhood of northeast Calgary.

As reported by Michael King, it was a firefighter who managed to rescue both individuals from the blaze. Calgary fire investigators are actively looking into the cause of the fire, which resulted in one fatality and serious injuries to another person.

The fire ignited around 4:20 a.m. in a single-storey residence located on Falwood Place N.E., according to the Calgary Fire Department (CFD). When crews arrived on the scene, they were confronted with heavy smoke and flames emanating from the building. Outside, a man and two dogs were found, while firefighters were informed that two additional individuals were still trapped inside. "We were able to quickly bring the fire under control," stated CFD Battalion Chief Jordan Wiebe. "The house had three occupants: one managed to escape on their own, while our crews located and rescued the other two, who were handed over to EMS." A woman was urgently transported to the hospital in serious condition, while a man was discovered in cardiac arrest. Despite immediate CPR efforts from paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Fire investigators are appealing for anyone with photographs or videos of the Falconridge fire to reach out to the Calgary Fire Department. While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, CFD spokesperson Carol Henke mentioned that preliminary findings suggest it may have started in a bedroom. "It remains uncertain whether the house had functioning smoke alarms," she added.
Henke emphasized the critical role of smoke alarms: "Given the early hour, most individuals would have been asleep. That's why smoke alarms are vital; their loud sound can wake individuals even from deep sleep." Calgarians are reminded to check the expiry dates on their smoke alarms. Henke further highlighted, "In the event of a fire, time is of the essence—typically only a couple of minutes are available to evacuate safely before being overcome.
The most perilous aspect of any fire is the smoke." The house is regarded as a total loss; however, no damage to nearby homes has been reported. The CFD encourages anyone who may have captured footage of the fire, especially before firefighters arrived, to contact them at piofire@calgary.ca.