dailynewsnblog
Homes in southeast Edmonton were damaged and a vehicle in a garage destroyed in a fire Monday night which officials said was sparked by Diwali fireworks.
Setting off fireworks and firecrackers is common during the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, which started on Monday and will continue to be celebrated on Tuesday.
The fire broke out just after 8:30 p.m. at a townhouse complex near 25 Avenue and 24 Street in the Silver Berry neighbourhood.
Police said fireworks were launched from a backyard, and sparks landed on a row of townhomes, setting them on fire.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said crews arrived on scene five minutes after the 911 call to find flames along the rear exterior of a two-storey townhouse.
Firefighters brought the fire under control at 9:07 p.m. There were no reported injuries and the city said the fire was officially declared out at 9:58 p.m.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said its fire investigators determined the cause of this fire to be sparks from fireworks that ignited combustible materials on or near the building’s garage.
Two townhomes were significantly damaged.
On one of the townhomes, the siding was gone and the wood underneath left charred and blackened. A Subaru car inside a garage appeared to also have been gutted by flames.
The heat of the blaze led to the siding melting off the neighbouring townhome.
Townhomes near 25 Avenue and 24 Street in southeast Edmonton’s Silver Berry neighbourhood were damaged in a fire on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
Global News
The fire prompted the Edmonton Police Service to issue a reminder about celebrating Diwali safely.
“Thankfully, no one was injured. But this could have been much worse,” Edmonton police said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
The EPS said its top priority is preventing anyone from being seriously injured, or worse, because of unsafe or careless behaviour.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
“No permit. No fireworks. Light up your home, not your neighbour’s roof.”
The city also issued a reminder to residents of the rules when it comes to fireworks, which are prohibited in Edmonton without an approved permit. They may only be discharged by certified professionals once an approved fireworks permit has been obtained.
Police said three adult males were charged with arson for recklessly causing damage by fire or explosion.
The city claimed the people charged in Monday’s fire recklessly caused damage to property due to “not following these critical safety requirements.”
The fire came a week after the City of Edmonton issued a news release reminding residents about the rules, saying any use of fireworks without proper permitting is illegal and may result in enforcement, including fines of up to $10,000.
Between October and December 2024, the city said peace officers launched 127 investigations into the illegal use of fireworks.
Those cases resulted $5,884 in charges laid. The charges included stunting on a highway, discharging fireworks without a permit, residential noise violations and offences related to causing smoke or odour. Two of the investigations led to mandatory court appearances following the careless use of fireworks.
From Oct. 1 to Dec. 1, 2024, the city said EFRS units were dispatched to 20 different places around the city due to fireworks. One fire led to approximately $1 million in damages.
Full information on fireworks requirements within Edmonton’s city limits can be found online.
The Edmonton police service provided their news release in both Hindu and Punjab, which can be read below.
HINDI TRANSLATION:
एडमंटन पुलिस सेवा (EPS) समुदाय से आग्रह कर रही है कि वे इस दिवाली को सुरक्षित तरीके से मनाएँ।
शहर की सीमाओं के भीतर बिना परमिट के पटाखे चलाना गैरकानूनी है — और बेहद खतरनाक भी।
हाल ही में, EPS और एडमंटन फायर रेस्क्यू सर्विसेज (EFRS) ने 25 एवेन्यू और 24 स्ट्रीट के पास एक रिहायशी इलाके में लगी बड़ी आग पर प्रतिक्रिया दी।
पटाखे एक घर के आँगन से छोड़े गए थे, और चिंगारियाँ पास की टाउनहाउस की कतार पर गिरीं, जिससे उनमें आग लग गई।
दो घरों को भारी नुकसान पहुँचा।
सौभाग्य से, कोई घायल नहीं हुआ — लेकिन यह बहुत बुरा हो सकता था।
तीन वयस्क पुरुषों पर आगजनी (arson) का आरोप लगाया गया — जो कि एक गंभीर अपराध है — क्योंकि उन्होंने लापरवाही से आग या विस्फोट के माध्यम से नुकसान पहुँचाया है।
हमारी सबसे बड़ी प्राथमिकता यह सुनिश्चित करना है कि कोई किसी के असुरक्षित या लापरवाह व्यवहार के कारण गंभीर रूप से घायल न हो।
बीना परमिट के कोई आतिशबाज़ी नहीं।
अपना घर रोशन करें — अपने पड़ोसी की छत नहीं।
दिवाली सुरक्षित तरीके से मनाएँ।
PUNJABI TRANSLATION:
ਇਡਮੰਟਨ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਸਰਵਿਸ (EPS) ਨਾਗਰਿਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਉਹ ਇਸ ਦੀਵਾਲੀ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਅਤ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਮਨਾਉਣ।
ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਦੀ ਹੱਦਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਬਿਨਾਂ ਪਰਮਿਟ ਦੇ ਆਤਸ਼ਬਾਜ਼ੀ ਚਲਾਉਣਾ ਗੈਰਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਹੈ — ਅਤੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਖ਼ਤਰਨਾਕ ਵੀ ਹੈ।
ਹਾਲ ਹੀ ਵਿੱਚ, EPS ਅਤੇ ਇਡਮੰਟਨ ਫਾਇਰ ਰੈਸਕਿਊ ਸੇਵਾਵਾਂ (EFRS) ਨੇ 25 ਐਵੇਨਿਊ ਅਤੇ 24 ਸਟ੍ਰੀਟ ਦੇ ਨੇੜੇ ਇੱਕ ਰਿਹਾਇਸ਼ੀ ਇਲਾਕੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੱਡੀ ਅੱਗ ਦਾ ਜਵਾਬ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਆਤਸ਼ਬਾਜ਼ੀ ਇੱਕ ਪਿਛਲੇ ਆੰਗਣ ਤੋਂ ਚਲਾਈ ਗਈ ਸੀ, ਅਤੇ ਚਿੰਗਾਰੀਆਂ ਟਾਊਨਹੋਮਜ਼ ਦੀ ਇੱਕ ਲੜੀ ਉੱਤੇ ਡਿੱਗੀਆਂ, ਜਿਸ ਨਾਲ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਅੱਗ ਲੱਗ ਗਈ।
ਦੋ ਘਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਕਾਫ਼ੀ ਨੁਕਸਾਨ ਪਹੁੰਚਿਆ। ਸ਼ੁਕਰ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਕੋਈ ਜ਼ਖਮੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਇਆ। ਪਰ ਇਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਬੁਰਾ ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ ਸੀ।
ਤਿੰਨ ਬਾਲਗ ਆਦਮੀਆਂ ’ਤੇ ਆਰਸਨ (ਅੱਗ ਲਗਾਉਣ) ਦਾ ਦੋਸ਼ ਲਗਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ — ਜੋ ਕਿ ਇੱਕ ਗੰਭੀਰ ਅਪਰਾਧ ਹੈ — ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਲਾਪਰਵਾਹੀ ਨਾਲ ਅੱਗ ਜਾਂ ਧਮਾਕੇ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਨੁਕਸਾਨ ਪਹੁੰਚਾਇਆ।
ਸਾਡੀ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਡੀ ਤਰਜੀਹ ਇਹ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਕਿਸੇ ਨੂੰ ਗੰਭੀਰ ਚੋਟ ਨਾ ਲੱਗੇ — ਜਾਂ ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਵੀ ਬੁਰਾ ਨਾ ਹੋਵੇ — ਬੇਸਮਝੀ ਜਾਂ ਅਸੁਰੱਖਿਅਤ ਵਿਹਾਰ ਕਾਰਨ।
ਕੋਈ ਪਰਮਿਟ ਨਹੀਂ। ਕੋਈ ਆਤਸ਼ਬਾਜ਼ੀ ਨਹੀਂ।
ਆਪਣਾ ਘਰ ਰੌਸ਼ਨ ਕਰੋ — ਆਪਣੇ ਗੁਆਂਢੀ ਦੀ ਛੱਤ ਨਹੀਂ।
ਸੁਰੱਖਿਅਤ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਦੀਵਾਲੀ ਮਨਾਓ।
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
