FORT MCMURRAY — Officials say they have not determined an exact cause of an apartment fire in Fort McMurray, but found that parts of the alarm system were disconnected at the time of the blaze.
Residents of Parsons Landing were forced out into the cold on Feb. 5 when the fire broke out in the north wing of the building.
No one was injured.
Regional Emergency Services of the Municipality of Wood Buffalo says in its investigation that the fire started on a balcony either a propane barbecue or improperly disposed of smoking materials.
It also says a review of the building’s fire alarm system and documentation found it had not been properly verified and maintained and that horns and strobe lights had been manually turned off and disconnected at the time of the fire.
The municipality says charges could be laid against the building owner under the Safety Codes Act.