Fast action by people who saw smoke and reported a fire, followed by a quick response by the Airdrie Fire Department prevented a blaze behind Paul's Pizza from becoming worse than it might have been yesterday (April 20) afternoon.  

At 2:30 pm, Airdrie Fire received the first report of a fire at the rear of a single story commercial mall on 2nd Avenue S.E.  When they arrived, fire crews found a fire burning in the alley behind Paul's Pizza.  

The blaze involved cardboard and other combustible debris which was surrounding a grease collection recycling container.  Deputy Chief Garth Rabel recounts the steps fire crews took once they were on scene.

"They attacked the fire while other members of the team went door to door and made sure that the people in the adjacent buildings were also temporarily evacuated, just as a precaution.  Then they also put another piece of apparatus into position in the event that the fire would be able to take hold and escalate."

Crews were able to bring the fire under control and extinguish it before flames or smoke could breach the interior of the building.

Once they determined that no smoke or fire extension had occurred, air quality in the building was monitored.  When the area was deemed safe, affected businesses were re-opened.

Rabel says the fire might have become much more serious had it not been for alert members of the public calling it in.

"At a different time of day, it might have been quite a bit different.  There were quite a few calls that came in.  Our dispatch centre received multi calls with passers-by and folks that saw it.  We appreciate that early acknowledgment of 9-1-1 and we were able to get there quickly and take care of it quickly as well."

No one was injured in the fire and the cause and final damage estimates are being investigated by the Fire Prevention Bureau.