A massive inferno razed five houses in Citadel causing more than $2 million in damage early yesterday. Fire crews not only had to contend with howling winds but also snow-covered roads. (Photo courtesy Derrick Bell)

CALGARY - Firefighters braved high wind and treacherous roads to battle a massive blaze that destroyed five Calgary homes early yesterday.

Residents of Citadel Forest Pl. N.W. got a rude and cold awakening when they were forced to leave their homes about 3:45 a.m., as high wind spread a three-alarm inferno from one house to the others right before their eyes.

A severe winter storm, which caused treacherous roads, made it difficult for firefighters to reach the blaze.

But Paul Gough, assistant deputy chief, said under the adverse weather conditions, crews did well in stopping the fire from spreading even further down the block.

"I would classify this fire as a perfect storm," Gough said, adding high wind and snow combined with smoke caused limited visibility.

Fire trucks got stuck in a snowbank before reaching the houses, but firefighters dragged the hoses about 60 metres to the blaze and were able to get it under control by 6 a.m.

Gough said the city roads crews did well clearing the main routes in the city.

"It wouldn't have mattered what residential district you were pulling into -- we would have had the same problems," said Gough, who couldn't recall a larger fire in his 38 years with the department.

"I haven't seen a block of five go in my career," Gough said.

He said a cause or exact dollar loss hasn't been determined, but he estimated the damage to be more than $2 million.

Looking at what's left of his home and those of his neighbours', Ed Everest said he could only flee with the pyjamas he was wearing and a winter coat as the fire engulfed his house.

After waking up early hearing the howling of the windand seeing sparks flying outside his bathroom window, he and his wife escaped to a nearby 7-Eleven with other evacuees, helplessly watching their house burn down.

"I hollered at the wife and said 'Come on, let's go, the house next door is burning', " Everest said.

"I saw the flames on our house when we left."

All that was left of one house, one of seven damaged, was the front steps and railing, as well as a snowman decoration on the lawn.

About a dozen neighbours poured out of their homes to help push fire trucks through the snow and drag hoses closer to the blaze.

"At one point, I had a pickup truck hooked on (to a fire truck) with a tow chain and we were trying to drag it a little closer to the fire hydrant," said area resident Chris Southgate, 31.

Other neighbours pitched in by dragging hoses.

"There was one fire hydrant on the corner which was about four houses away," said Southgate.

"And after that, they were dragging from the other end of the block and one block back where the other fire hydrant was, so it was a long way."

City transportation department spokesman Sean Somers said four snow-clearing vehicles in the area were immediately sent to help the fire trucks get to the burning homes.

He defended the transportation department's position it isn't a priority to plow neighbourhood roads.

"Obviously, that's unfortunate that that happened," he said about the destroyed homes. "But again, as per our policy, our focus is on the priority one routes."

-- With files from Tarina White and Dave Dormer

katie.schneider@sunmedia.ca