Fire hits historic building

Possible loss of century-old apartments

The attic of a century-old apartment building in Sunnyside was gutted on the weekend.
Renters watched from across the street as dozens of police, firefighters and paramedics dealt with the smouldering remains Saturday morning.
“That’s my bedroom,” said one woman, pointing upward to where firefighters were cutting out pieces of the roof with a chainsaw.
Another tenant believes he narrowly missed the first flames when he headed to the University of Calgary at about 9 a.m.
Patting the case slung over his shoulder, the man expressed relief that his PhD paper was still intact. Many valuables, on the other hand, were destroyed, he said.
Calgary Fire Department officials said the fire was contained to the attic. There was also minor smoke and water damage in other parts of the property.
A slightly charred sign reading “AD Palfreyville 1911” remained legible atop the front side of the building, in a nod to builder William James Palfrey.
The craftsman-style, two-and-a-half storey structure in the 200 block of 9th St. N.W. was built as the city was going through one of its early booms.
Palfrey, an Englishman who served in the First World War, founded the dwelling in what was then a working-class neighbourhood.
The building is being reviewed by the Calgary Heritage Authority but isn’t legally protected.
Told of the fire, historian Harry Sanders said it’s a relief that all six residents are unharmed.
The potential loss of an inner-city relic is also disappointing, he added.
“It’s painful,” said Sanders, who serves as the city’s historian laureate.
“It enriches the fabric of the city to have old buildings. So, there’s one thread gone, if it is to go.”
Battalion Chief Don Huska acknowledged the roof was significantly damaged as fire crews tore through it to get to the flames. However, Huska said it’s too soon to say whether the building would have to be demolished as a result.
Fire officials said they took steps to protect furniture from water dam-age. They also helped residents remove important items from their homes such as files, pictures and cameras.
Red Cross officials have offered food, clothing, medication and housing for 72 hours.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.