‘Its devastating’: Multiple homes destroyed in massive Saskatoon fire

Multiple homes went up in flames after a major fire broke out in Hampton Village Friday. Keenan Sorokan reports.

A massive fire destroyed multiple homes in Saskatoon’s Hampton Village on Friday.

The Saskatoon Fire Department says crews were called to a two-alarm, multiple-structure fire on Geary Crescent around 12:04 p.m.

Firefighters arrived and witnessed heavy black smoke, with at least one home fully involved. Strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity helped the fire spread quickly between properties.

The fire tore through the block, destroying homes and garages and damaging others. It also jumped across the road, briefly igniting another home.

About 32 firefighters initially responded, with additional crews brought in to assist, bringing more resources to the scene.

All residents were safely evacuated, and no injuries have been reported.

Homeowners watched fire tear through neighbourhood

Mohit Nayyer, who has lived in the neighbourhood since 2012, watched his home burn down.

“Pretty shocked, pretty sad to see your house, where you live, your family lives, all of your belongings just on fire. It’s devastating,” he said.

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Nayyer said his home was one of four houses and six garages that were lost in the blaze.

“My son is still at school, so he doesn’t know anything about that, and I have to go pick him up and break the news to him,” he added.

Abdul Wahab, another resident of Hampton Village, said he was asleep after a night shift when his wife woke him up to escape.

“I saw the one house — two, three, four — because the wind is out of control and then I took my family we dropped them off to my other family.”

The heat was so intense it melted the siding on his home.

“It’s sad to see those houses burnt, but it’s a relief that it’s not my house. But still, this is sad,” another resident, Zusette Tantano, told CTV News.

Deputy fire chief Sean Thody said it’s been a long time since Saskatoon has seen a fire this destructive.

“This is a devastating loss for these families. For houses, it’s never a good thing. Our hearts go out to the families that have lost their homes,” Thody said.

He said weather conditions played a major role, with wind speeds above 30 km/h, temperatures above 30 C and low humidity creating ideal conditions for the fire to spread.

The fire department said four homes and six garages are considered complete losses – while two other homes sustained significant damage.

No cause has been determined, as heat and carbon monoxide levels have made it unsafe for investigators to access the homes.

As residents begin to process what happened, many are simply trying to come to terms with the scale of the destruction.