Rutherford fire probe could take weeks
Investigators say it could be weeks before the cause of the Rutherford Landing massive condominium fire early Sunday will be known.
About 265 units in three buildings of a condo complex under construction in southwest Edmonton were destroyed in the $17 million fire.
– Fire tears through south Edmonton condo development
The fire covered two city blocks.
One building was almost finished with owners set to move in this December.
The second building had the roof on and construction was just underway on the third.
With all the buildings levelled to the ground there’s a lot of rubble for investigators to sift through, said Michael Tucker, spokesperson for Fire Rescue Services.
He says there are many witnesses to question as well.
Investigators have been on scene since 2 a.m. Sunday when the fire started
Tucker said he expects the damage estimate will rise over the next few days as more claims are filed because the intense heat melted the siding of nearby houses and vehicles parked nearby.
“I know our investigators just had preliminary chats with some of the homeowners, people who were affected from across the street,” he said. “That number is going to increase by quite a bit I would imagine as we get a better sense of the damages.”
The construction company, The Carlisle Group, said it will begin rebuilding the complex, which was 90 per cent sold, as soon as the investigation is complete.
The developer is unsure if the underground parkades can be salvaged.
Source: MSN
Tags: edmonton real estate, News
