CHESTERMERE – On Saturday Feb. 11 around 2:15 p.m., a cloud of thick black smoke could be seen rising into sky just east of Chestermere.
Rocky View Fire Department, along with members of both the Chestermere and Strathmore RCMP, responded to a report of a structural fire at a property on Range Road 281.
A large detached shop was found fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived, but it was extinguished before it could spread to the nearby home.
Officials blocked off the road near the scene for a few hours because of the risk of an explosion due to the propane tanks inside the shop. Some nearby residents evacuated the area due to the thick, pungent smoke.
The building is said to be a total loss, with a number of vehicles outside the shop also damaged by the flames and smoke.
One male was treated for minor smoke inhalation at the scene, but was not transported to hospital.
Strathmore RCMP said that the cause of the fire is believed to be accidental in nature.
