SASKATOON — The fire that caused the University Bridge inaccessible to motorists on Wednesday, June 21, could became an arson investigation after a Saskatoon Fire Department fire investigator deemed it suspicious.
On Wednesday, June 21, SFD crews responded to a fire call beneath the University Bridge, where they discovered a mattress engulfed in flames. The fire had spread to the void spaces and other arches beneath the bridge, necessitating the extinguishment of several hidden fires.
An SFD fire investigator was dispatched to the scene to determine the cause and origin of the fire. Preliminary findings suggest that the blaze, ignited by a lit household mattress, was suspicious. The extent of the damage is yet to be assessed.
The Saskatoon Police Service, whose officers were also at the scene to assist with traffic management, will continue the investigation. As part of their efforts, SPS has closed the ramp to Spadina Crescent from the University Bridge, spanning from 24th to 25th streets.
The fire was under control at around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday and authorities confirmed the absence of additional fire risks. Minor repairs were carried out on Thursday afternoon, June 22, including filling core holes drilled in the bridge's deck to address hot spots.
The SFD suspects an individual may have been residing in one of the archways beneath the bridge, as the mattress was already ablaze when the fire crews arrived.
While they successfully extinguished the fire, the teams remained on-site and proceeded to drill holes in the bridge's deck to eliminate any concealed hot spots.
SFD Chief Morgan Hackl stated they sought additional equipment from the City's Transportation and Construction department to access the void areas beneath the bridge and ensure complete fire suppression.
"We detected residual heat in these void spaces while conducting thermal imaging checks. That is why drilling core holes was necessary. We inserted the cellar nozzle into the core holes, which disperses water in a sprinkler-like manner," explained Hackl.
"We utilized water mixed with foam to smother the flames and burning material, impeding oxygen supply and extinguishing the fire... Void spaces present unique challenges, whether in a structural fire or unconventional scenarios like this bridge incident."
Hackl emphasized that despite the SFD being equipped with state-of-the-art firefighting equipment for various types of emergencies, they require assistance from the City to effectively combat fires and hot spots in tight and confined spaces, such as those found within the bridge structure.
The City's Transportation and Construction General Manager Terry Schmidt reassured the public that the drilled holes did not compromise the bridge’s structural integrity. The holes, approximately six to eight inches deep, were filled with high-strength, quick-curing concrete.
This story has been updated to clarify an arson investigation could result from that fire being suspicious.
