INNISFAIL – A fire last night (Dec. 20) that caused irreparable damage to the old and much-maligned Blue Bird Motel is considered “suspicious” by the RCMP and is under investigation.
“It’s been investigated and we are treating it as suspicious,” said Innisfail RCMP Cpl. Mike Heysa, who was at the scene the following morning as part of the ongoing investigation.
The half-century-old eastside Blue Bird Motel has been the subject of intense scrutiny from the RCMP in recent years for widespread illicit drug use, violence, excessive alcohol consumption, multiple sudden deaths and a hangout for out-of-towners to engage in criminal activity.
The Blue Bird’s out-of-town owners pledged in 2020 to clean up the notoriously dark image of the 50-room motel.
Innisfail Fire Department Chief Gary Leith said a call came in at 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 that a fire had broken out at the motel, located along Highway 2A (42nd Avenue).
He said two engines and a tender, along with support from Red Deer County firefighters, were dispatched to the motel.
Leith said about 20 firefighters encountered a single unit (building) at the northeast side of the motel complex that was “involved with smoke and flames showing”, with fire extending into the roof.
He said some of the building’s suites were occupied with tenants at the time of the blaze. He said none of the tenants were injured, and they were moved to other suites in the motel.
Heysa told the Albertan that three of the building’s eight suites were heavily damaged, while the remaining five sustained moderate damage.
Leith said the building as it stands now is “not habitable.”
He said firefighters were able to get the fire under control at about midnight. Leith added they remained at the scene until 4 a.m. to put out “hot spots.
“It was a challenge for sure,” said Leith. “(Firefighters) were obviously extremely fatigued in the temperatures we had to work in.”
He said the fire-damaged building is currently “isolated and secured” by RCMP, who are probing for the cause of the fire with the fire inspector.
“The investigation will start this morning into the cause and circumstances of the fire,” said Leith.
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