FERGUS – Two people and a dog were taken to hospital following an apartment fire here on Sunday.
The Fergus fire department responded to an alarm activation at 165 Gordon St. at around 8:30pm on Dec. 5.
But when two 911 calls came in from tenants in the same building, the Elora unit was called in too.
Centre Wellington deputy fire chief Jonathan Karn said a fire started in a unit on the third floor and when firefighters arrived, most tenants had been evacuated.
But the tenant in the unit with the fire was still inside, along with her dog, Karn said.
They were both safely removed but the dog required resuscitation and was transported to an animal hospital in Guelph by the Guelph Humane Society.
The woman was conscious and sitting on her couch when firefighters entered her unit. She was taken to Groves Memorial Community Hospital for treatment.
Karn said it appears the fire started in the bedroom “and thanks to the sprinkler system, the fire was extinguished when we got there and was contained to the bedroom.
“I can tell you that sprinkler system saved a much larger fire and likely saved the tenant’s life,” he said.
Karn said the dog is still in the veterinarian’s care, “but they are predicting a full recovery.”
He did not know the status of the woman a day after the fire.
Another tenant was also taken to hospital for treatment. This person tried to save the fire victim and was overcome by smoke.
Karn said firefighters helped some other tenants with mobility issues leave the building until the all-clear was given for tenants to return to their units.
There is significant water damage to the unit with the fire and likely to units below on the second and first floors, Karn said.
The building is owned and operated by Wellington County and caters to seniors, people with disabilities and low-income families.
There are 55 units in the building. Karn said paramedics sent three ambulances, “as there was the potential for many casualties.” Fortunately it didn’t come to that, he said.
OPP and Wellington County staff were also on the scene.
While most of the tenants were able to return to their apartments after a few hours, Karn said there are likely a few tenants who will be displaced while their apartments are repaired.
Karn said careless smoking is believed to be the cause of the fire.
