Heritage Tuxedo Park School catches fire; 1920s building was undergoing city restoration
Fire spread from basement to second floor early Tuesday; no injuries. Building acquired by city in 2022 for library, housing, and park redevelopment.
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Calgary firefighters brought a fire under control at the heritage Tuxedo Park School early Tuesday morning after crews arrived just after 6 a.m. to find light smoke rising from the basement of the 1920s building at 136 28th Avenue N.E.
The blaze spread from the basement to the second floor before crews contained it. No one was inside the boarded-up, long-vacant structure at the time. Fire investigators arrived on scene to determine the cause; no assessment of interior damage has been released.
The city acquired the property from the Calgary Board of Education in December 2022 with plans to redevelop it as a combination of library space, housing, and public park. Since acquiring the site, the city demolished an annex, replaced the roof and front doors, and stabilized the building's interiors—all completed by 2025. In early spring 2026, the city conducted geotechnical and environmental surveys in preparation for the next phase of work.
Firefighters had to cut down boarded-up windows to gain access to the building. The exterior sustained no visible damage, but the extent of fire damage to the interior remains unclear. The city has not announced a timeline for resuming renewal work.
What was the cause of the fire, and could it have been prevented by the stabilization work completed in 2025?
How extensively was the interior damaged, and will this delay the library-housing-park redevelopment?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When did the fire at Tuxedo Park School occur?
The fire occurred early on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with crews arriving just after 6 a.m. to find light smoke rising from the basement of the 1920s building.
How far did the fire spread in the building?
The blaze spread from the basement to the second floor before crews contained it.
When did the city acquire Tuxedo Park School?
The city acquired the property from the Calgary Board of Education in December 2022.
What work had the city completed at the building before the fire?
The city demolished an annex, replaced the roof and front doors, and stabilized the building's interiors—all completed by 2025.
