Fire damages three homes, including reported drug house

A fire has caused substantial damage to two homes and heat damage to a third in south Lethbridge on Tuesday morning.

Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services attended the scene at around 7:30 a.m. at 28^th Avenue south in Southbrook, where flames originated from a garage of one of the homes. Residents called 911 and were safely evacuated. The fire spread to an adjacent home causing significant damage, and a third residence suffered heat-related damage.

The home where the fire reportedly originated is notoriously known to be a drug house. The home at 4518 28^th Avenue south was shut down back in September of 2024, after numerous complaints of drug activity resulting in authorities searching and seizing fentanyl, methamphetamine, stolen motorcycles and weapons. Safer Communities and Neighborhoods (SCAN) obtained a Community Safety Order from the Court of King’s Bench in August of 2024, and the property was closed and board up on September 4th, 2024.

All tenancy and lease agreements were terminated back then. But according to witnesses that spoke off-camera to BCN after the fire, the same residents continued to reside at the property up to this point.

LFES is continuing its investigation into the cause and origin of the fire.

BCN has learned that the residents of the adjacent damaged house where the fire did not originate were travelling, and not home during the time of the fire. No injuries elsewhere have been reported.