The quick action of a Mount Forest-area couple saved their family of six from a fire that destroyed their home on Jan. 8.
Wellington North Fire Chief Dave Guilbault said the fire broke out before 9:30am in the basement of a house on Grey Road 109, just off Grey Road 6. Smoke alarms alerted the family to the fire and three children “got out right away” with their mother, but a fourth child was trapped on the second floor.
“The father was able to get the child out a second storey window. So we’re very, very fortunate we didn’t have a loss of life,” said Guilbault, who added no firefighters or family members were injured in the incident. “The fire spread very rapidly and that’s what trapped the child on the second floor.”
A family member flagged down the driver of a truck from Streamline Towing, who called 911.
By the time firefighters reached the scene the home was “fully engulfed,” said Guilbault, who noted people reported seeing the smoke from as far away as Teviotdale.
Firefighters from Minto and West Grey were called to assist Wellington North firefighters with the blaze, while police closed off the county road and ambulance crews were on standby at the scene.
Guilbault said the firefighting effort ran very smoothly, despite the frigid weather.
“I think it was minus-30 with the windchill. We didn’t have any frozen hose lines or pumper trucks. I’ve been doing this for 42 years and under these circumstances you always expect that to happen, but it didn’t happen,” he said.
“Fire crews did a great job, police were great, ambulance, Hydro – everybody helped out.” Guilbault said local contractor Randy Bye provided a high-hoe to dismantle sections of the house to allow firefighters to complete their job.
“Because it had a steel roof and you can’t put them out, they just sit there like a furnace,” said Guilbault.
He explained the fire is believed to have started in a pipe in a wood furnace in the basement.
“We believe that possibly could have been defective and that’s what caused the fire.”
The home was a total loss, said Guilbault, who estimated damage at about $300,000.
Efforts to help the family are underway, he stated.
“The community is coming together. [The family is] in temporary quarters down the street and people are bringing in food, clothing and furniture to help them get set up again… the community has really come together very quickly to help this family.”
