A Boarded-up house went up in flames Wednesday morning. The Saskatoon Fire Department says they got a call around 3:20 about the smell of smoke. Sixteen minutes later, crews wee able to locate the source: A house in the 200 block of Avenue O South. The fire was in the basement.
Electrical and natural gas service to the structure were shut down.  Utility companies were called to the scene.

The Fire Department says   the structure was full of combustible materials which posed challenges for firefighters’ ease of movement. They describe the situation as extremely challenging. Conditions inside were unstable with the main floor no longer safe to walk on. The fire was under control by 5:41.
Due to the hot weather and extreme conditions within the structure, fire crews were relieved by outlying fire stations and their fire crews.  One firefighter sustained minor injuries trying to move items inside the structure during firefighting.

The fire scene was turned over to the Fire Investigator at 6:58 a.m.  Due to structural instability, the Fire Investigator is not able to enter the structure to conduct a cause and origin fire investigation but will do so from a safe distance.  The Police Investigator was called to the fire scene due to unlawful entry identified by fire crews prior to their arrival.
Damage is $100,000 to the structure and the cause is still under investigation.