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)

It was by all accounts, a minor fender bender on the 401 in April 2004. But its implications would be anything but trivial. Within seconds, the vehicle burst into flames. Once doused, police found the charred remains of a woman inside. She has yet to be identified.

Five years later, her body remains in the city morgue, and a man is in custody, but murder charges have never been laid despite the fact that forensic tests revealed the woman died before the car accident and subsequent fire. “There have been twists and turns through the investigation at every corner,” admits detective Greg Groves.

“The more information that came to light, the more questions, and the more the mystery deepened.” There have, however, been some answers. As Groves reveals, initially, “there was seemingly no reason why that car burst into flames.” A further investigation revealed that the interior of the car was doused with gasoline. Detectives now believe the fire was set in an attempt to dispose of the body.

Three years ago the man in the car with mystery victim, Suimi Habteab, was convicted of arson and indignity to a body. But with much of the evidence up in flames, detectives, despite their suspicions, haven’t been able to lay murder charges, and are still trying to confirm the victim’s identity.

“Mr. Habteab has been less than truthful,” states Groves. “He has not assisted in this investigation.”

Habteab first claimed the victim was his wife, Stephanie Fratta, mother of his daughter, Ramilla.

Detectives found a video in his apartment showing a woman and child visiting a Zoo in his native Eritrea.

They also found a marriage certificate and other videos.

“Names that he has provided, there are no records of these people entering the country,” Groves continues. “No record of them entering the United States, and we are unable to get confirmation from authorities that they even exist.”

Habteab then said it was a woman named Faniey Buruhan. He also mentioned the name Huberhit Temasgen. All have proven to be false leads. Dental examinations confirmed little, aside from the fact that the victim had dental work done in Europe. “There must be someone out there missing a daughter, missing a mother, a sister, an aunt,” Groves reasoned.

Investigators want to speak to anyone who knows Suimi Habteab or the true identity of the woman seen in the home videos (included below). Source: (CityNews)- To watch the video please cklick here CityNewsTV