Canton luxury apartment garage demolition begins

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - A Oklahoma luxury apartment's remaining parking structure is finally being demolished. On Tuesday, the final stages of demolition of the Canton at Classen Curve garage began and is set to bring relief to local residents who considered the structure an eyesore after burning like a inferno for days in February 2022.

The five-story apartment complex, located at NW 63rd and Western and called The Canton at Classen Curve, went up in flames on February 8, 2022 in what fire officials deemed a five-alarm fire. The 326-room luxury apartment complex was scheduled to open sometime in the spring with rooms starting at 600 square feet, ranging from $1,100 to more than $4,000 a month.

A spokesperson for CMS Willowbrook Inc., a general contractor of the project stated,
“We are devastated at the loss of the Canton at Classen Curve project. At this time, we do not know how the fire started. The building was 369,200 SF along with a 175,000 SF parking garage. The building was not occupied since the project was under construction. To our knowledge, no reports of injuries have been reported. We are extremely thankful for all of our firefighters and first responders for their long hours and dedication.”

According to fire officials on the scene, the fire took four days to put the fire completely out. Based on the investigation, officials stated the fire was classified as accidental and the result of an electrical issue.

“The fire occurred as a result of an electrically energized neutral (energized neutral) within the structure,” the report stated.

The complex was valued at over $65 million and was deemed a total loss.

OG&E and Red Dirt construction, LLC are listed as defendants in the latest court filings over the alleged electrical issues. As of today, the luxury apartment complex is the largest known commercial fire in the history of Oklahoma City, according to OKCFD.