LAKE LOUISE – Firefighters from throughout the Bow Valley battled a massive blaze at one of the biggest staff accommodation buildings in Lake Louise before getting it under control late Monday afternoon (July 3).
RCMP were also on the scene of the fire at the Skiing Louise-owned Charleston Residence on Village Road, which ski hill officials say houses between 150 and 200 staff in the summer months for the resort’s summer sightseeing and gondola operation.
Officials say they believe everyone made it out of the burning building safely and the building is a total loss. One person was injured and taken to hospital.
“The fire is still in progress and it looks like it will take out our entire Charleston residence,” said Dan Markham, communications director for the Lake Louise Ski Resort earlier in the day.
“People have been on the phones trying to find places to put staff and we’ve managed to find beds for the majority of staff at different hotels in Banff and Lake Louise.”
There is one person in custody.
As a result of the blaze in the multi-level log building and devastating impacts on staff, Markham said the ski hill will be shutting down the Lake Louise summer sightseeing and gondola operation for at least the next two days.
“We will make the call as we go on day to day,” he said.
At approximately 12 p.m. on Monday (July 3), Lake Louise RCMP – which is located close by to the staff accommodation on the same road – along with local fire departments responded to the fire and the staff accommodation has been evacuated.
Cpl. Gina Slaney, public information officer for the RCMP's Southern Alberta District, said it could be as many as 200 to 400 people being displaced.
The fire in the log building was still not under control at 3:30 p.m.
“There are buses transporting people from the fire scene to a muster point at Lake Louise ski hill," she said in a media release.
“Resources will be in place for those evacuated there. People who go to the ski hill are asked to sign in."
“Our intention is to keep it going with minimal staff and with Parks Canada,” said Markham.
Banff's fire department responded to help their counterparts in Lake Louise with three vehicles/apparatus and 12 firefighters, as did Canmore Fire-Rescue with a ladder truck and crew of four to the structure fire.
A Parks Canada initial attack crew and helicopter were on site to ensure the structure fire didn’t spread to the nearby forest.
STARS-1 air ambulance was initially dispatched to the incident but was stood down shortly thereafter.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage.
The story will be updated as more information becomes available.
