Saskatoon Fire - News Releases

At 7:02 pm, on February 18, the Saskatoon Fire Department received a report of a garage on fire.  Three fire engines, one rescue unit, a ladder truck and the Battalion Chief responded.  On arrival, the garage had smoke showing.  Firefighters began preparing to enter the garage.  Incoming fire crews were assigned tactical duties to perform on their arrivals.  It was reported that there was paint, acetylene, oxygen tank and a vehicle inside.  Upon entry into the garage, firefighters encountered smoke and began advancing to the area on fire.  Consideration was given to the effects of heat and flame impingement on the tanks and chemicals stored inside as a safety precaution.  Utilities were shut down.  The fire was brought under control at 7:32 pm.

The Fire Investigator on call responded to the fire scene.  A scene examination was performed.  Occupant had been doing work inside the garage an hour prior to the fire.  Cause of the fire was sparks from a grinder that caught used rags in the area on fire.  Fire originated inside the garage where the work had been performed.  Occupant heard a loud bang when it was realized the garage was on fire.  Tires being stored overhead heating and catching fire were the source of the loud bang heard.  Damage is estimated to be $100,000.

No one was hurt as a result of this fire.

At 9:05 a.m. on February 11, 2022, the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) received a call reporting a fire on the second floor of an apartment building on the 200 block of Avenue N South. Four engines, one ladder, one rescue truck and one battalion chief were dispatched.  

Upon arriving, fire crews observed heavy smoke coming from a suite on the second floor of the building. One fire crew proceeded with an interior attack and advanced a hose line to apply water to the fire. Meanwhile, another crew continued to evacuate occupants on all floors of the apartment building.  

The fire was extinguished by 9:22 a.m. and crews began ventilating the building of residual smoke and carbon monoxide at 9:24 a.m. Once the building was fully vented, occupants were let back into their suites at 10:02 a.m. 

During the incident, two occupants required care and were treated by SFD’s firefighter-paramedics for smoke inhalation. One patient’s care was transferred to the ambulance service and taken to hospital; the other was released with minor injuries. Two cats were rescued from the burning suite; one was declared deceased on scene. 

SFD’s Fire Investigator deemed the cause of the fire as accidental due to careless use of a flammable device. Fire damage is estimated at $40,000. 

The Fire Investigator was able to re-enter the structure on February 8, 2022.  Scene examination for the fire in the 300 Block of 109th Street West has concluded.  Fire originated in the service/furnace room.  Cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental due to combustibles being too close to the water heater.  Combustible material was ignited by the flame of the water heater resulting in the fire.  

At 5:04 pm, Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) received a call of a structure on fire in the 400 Block of Avenue L North.  Three fire engines, one ladder unit, one rescue truck and the Battalion Chief responded.  The first arriving engine reported a structure with flame and smoke showing.  Tactical duties were assigned to incoming fire crews and the fire investigator was requested.  The location of the fire was identified in the basement and interior fire crew were assigned to enter the basement.  At 5:16 p.m., fire crews began knocking the fire down.  The Fire Investigator arrived at 5:46 p.m.

The Fire Investigator performed a cause and origin scene examination.  

Cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.  Fire originated in a basement bedroom.

Damage is estimated at $20,000.

The Fire Investigation into the cause and origin of the fire in the 300 Block of 109^th Street West is ongoing due to the current condition of the structure after the fire.  An update will be provided once available.

During the incident, firefighters were performing searches to ensure no occupants remained inside the structure.  While conducting the searches, fire conditions changed drastically inside the structure where all combustible material ignited simultaneously.  This created a flash over condition.  Two firefighters were in a situation where they needed to evacuate the structure immediately.  They took safe haven in a bedroom closing the door behind them.  This room had a window.  Using SFD’s tactical self preservation methods, they sent an alert over the radio that overrides the entire radio transmissions over the entire fire ground.  They initiated a “mayday” and relayed conditions, the actions being taken and their needs.  The two firefighters using their tactical training were performing a “bail out” where they broke the window, fire ground firefighters brought a ladder to the window and the firefighters used their training tactics to hook onto the window frame and leverage themselves onto the ladder. 

Both firefighters safely evacuated the structure without injury. 

An incident debriefing and peer support was provided immediately to the firefighters involved in the self evacuation and the personnel involved in this incident.

Firefighter safety is everyone’s priority but the job they perform comes with risks.  It is the extensive training beyond performing rescues and tactics where they practice self preservation that are integral to firefighter safety.    

With any incident of significance to firefighter safety, an after-action review is being conducted.  The purpose of a review allows for an assessment of actions taken, evaluate procedures and enhance safety if warranted.