'There won't be anything left': Symons Valley Ranch owners, vendors watch as market consumed by fire

Leaking natural gas hampered efforts to put out a major fire that destroyed much of the main building at Symons Valley Ranch Thursday morning.

• Vendors face uncertainty after Symons Valley Ranch fire

Theblazefully engulfed the mostly wood building atSymons Valley Road and 144thAvenue N.W. where a popular farmers market has operated since 2013.

The fire department was called just after 6 a.m. and the blaze was quickly upgraded to a second alarm, spokeswomanCarolHenkesaid.

Battalion Chief Stu Laird said aruptured gas line kept the fire burning,but cappingit off could have created a moredangerous situationsince the gas could have escaped someplace else.

Laird said crews allowed the gas to vent until ATCOGas officials were able to shut down the supply.

About 40 residents downwind of the fireon Sage Bluff Green were asked by police to leave their homes until the air quality improved, the fire department said.

Other residents in the area wereasked to stay indoors. There wasno fire risk to nearby homes.

KenAylesworth, one of the market's owners,said he was able to contact all32 farmers marketvendors andconfirmed that nobody was in the facility when the fire broke out.

"We believe everybody is safe and sound," he said. "After that, it's the emptiest feeling I've ever had in my life."

Aylesworth said the main floor of the market and the basement were totally gutted.

"It would appear that virtually all of that is gone," he said.

The restaurant on the third floor at the east side of the complex did not appearto bedamaged, Aylesworth said.

ShawnnaTaylor, who owns One Cup Coffee Club in the market, said it's likely her business was completelydestroyed.

"There won't be anything left," she said. "I might be effectively out of business and have to go find a job now."

School bus company First Student, which parks its buses in a lot next to the ranch, said the fire had an impact on 103routes across the city.

But drivers were able to retrieve all thevehicles later in themorning and the company said the afternoon runs wouldbe back to normal.

The cause of the fire is under investigationand fire officials are asking anyone with video, pictures or information to email the department atpiofire@calgary.ca.

Fire also ripped through the complex more than two decades ago. Three banquet halls that were added to the Symons Valley Ranch complex in the 1980swere destroyed by fire in 1989 and later rebuilt, according to the owners'website.

• MORE ALBERTANEWS|None of Douglas Garland's DNA or fingerprints found in Liknes home, murder trial hears
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS|Ikea Canada buying second Alberta wind farm near Drumheller