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A fire that destroyed a charity and thrift store in southeast Edmonton was caused by a short circuit in the engine compartment of a vehicle parked inside the building, says Edmonton Fire Rescue Services.
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On October 8, around 5:18 a.m., Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) received multiple calls reporting a structure fire with large flames and heavy smoke coming from a single-story industrial building located at 7707 Coronet Road.
The teams arrived on the scene minutes later at the building that housed the Emmanuel Foundation, an international charity, and its Second Chance Thrift Shop. The fire was updated to a second alarm just before 6 a.m. and was controlled at 7:40 a.m.
Lyle Johnson, executive director of the Emmanuel Foundation, told Postmedia that the building was used to prepare the shipping, receiving and sorting of goods. He said about 12,000 square feet of inventory burned with the building.
Fire crews remained on the scene into the night working in the hot spots. No injuries were reported.
Investigators have since concluded their investigation into the fire and determined that it originated in the engine compartment of a vehicle parked inside the building, caused by an electrical short. Damages are estimated at $ 9 million, broken down into $ 4 million in structural damage and $ 5 million in content losses.
Reference-edmontonjournal.com