Senayit Andebrhan

CALGARY- The wife of a man who died in a garage fire in northeast Calgary Friday night says she is shattered by the death of her husband, who was “everything” to her. Family and friends of Emanuel Kifle, 36, said he moved to Calgary from Eritrea less than two years ago to build a better life.

Emergency crews were called to his home in the city’s northeast Friday at about 7:30 p.m., where he was found dead in the garage, along with another person.

Members of Calgary’s Eritrean community gathered in a Renfrew home Saturday afternoon to provide comfort to Kifle’s devastated widow, Senayit Andebrhan. “He was very kind,” said Andebrhan, 33, sobbing. “I don’t know what to say. He was everything to me.” Andebrhan was at work at her downtown office cleaning job when she heard the sad news Friday night. She has no other family in Calgary.

The couple were married in Eritrea before they moved to Canada in 2007. They had planned to start a family in Calgary. “He was looking forward to growing better and working hard,” said his cousin, Azmera Mamo. Kifle was a mechanic, and was studying to write his journeyman’s test next month so he could find better work in Calgary.

The tall, cheerful man had a magnetic personality, said Mamo. “He was very kind, very giving,” Mamo said. “So many people know him.” He had family members in Africa and Europe, as well as a brother in Vancouver, who is en route to Calgary after learning the news.

“I’m in shock. When you look at him, he’s very tall, a healthy man, you never think death will get him,” said Mamo. “I’m still thinking it’s a dream.” Mamo said the other man who died in the garage was Kifle’s best friend.

Investigators haven’t said what caused the fire. A burnt-out vehicle was on jacks inside the garage.

Neighbour Mike Davis said he was watching TV when he heard a loud noise. “I heard a whoosh, like when you start your barbecue and it’ doesn’t catch.

All of a sudden it was all orange light coming in the window,” said Davis. “I looked out and the garage was on fire, and I just called 911.” His wife and kids were just walking in the front door when the blaze broke out, Davis said. “They said ‘There’s a fire and someone’s screaming Help, help.’ ”

When crews arrived on Friday night, the detached garage was ablaze. “The fire was knocked down in about a minute or so and that’s when we came across the bodies,” said fire department spokesman Jeff Budai. “Unfortunately, two patients involved were overcome by smoke and flame by the time we got to them.”

Fire officials say there was a vehicle on jacks inside the garage but that it’s too early to tell if the victims were working on it. “At this point it doesn’t seem suspicious in nature but we don’t want to jump to any conclusions, so we’ve brought the arson unit down,” said Budai. Mamo said community members are still breaking the sad news to Kifle’s loved ones. A collection has been started to help his wife. “In our community, we’re all family,” she said. with files from Deborah Tetle. Source:(The Calgary Herald)