Before Lacombe’s firefighters could even begin to battle a huge blaze that destroyed two homes on Sunday, they had to fight their way through the sightseers.
Scores of smartphone-toting spectators descended on the Elizabeth Park neighbourhood, clogging access roads and forcing local police to call in reinforcements to bring order to the streets.
Lacombe Police Service Chief Steve Murray made no attempt on Monday to hide his frustration with the scene his officers, sheriffs and Mounties had to contend with late Sunday afternoon.
Responding police officers’ first job is to evacuate people to safety, keep others from putting themselves in harm’s way, and ensure emergency services can get to the scene unimpeded.
That proved unnecessarily challenging.
“It was ridiculous. Literally, within minutes it was so plugged up in there,” said Murray.
“We had actual fire trucks hung up in traffic that couldn’t get through.”
Given the location of the fire on Elisa Close, police should have only had to close off two routes in. But there were so many people arriving and trying to find back ways in, 14 police officers and sheriffs had to block off eight local streets.
Some drivers would lie that they lived in the area to get past traffic points, only to turn around and drive out again minutes later when they couldn’t get close enough to the flames.
There was a safety issue as well. One of the homes contained ammunition and spectators needed to be kept back for fear of exploding ammunition.
At one point, a 20-pound propane tank was sent soaring 120 metres as gawkers watched.
Murray wants people to consider others before they feel the urge to satisfy their curiosity or find their next YouTube post.
“There’s absolutely no compelling, good, neighbourly, humanitarian reason to be there. So stay away.”