MAIN PHOTO: Firefighters from Lantz watch as comrades work at the scene of the house fire in Enfield on Feb. 16. (Healey photo)
ENFIELD: A keen eyed neighbour is being credited with rescuing a family pet from a raging fire that “extensively damaged” a home on White Road in Enfield on Feb. 16.
Deputy Chief Dale Copp, who was Incident Command, said Enfield Fire was paged out at 9:18 a.m. after multiple reports of a working structure fire on the residential street next to the former Curly’s and across from Avery’s.
Mutual aid from four other departments (Elmsdale; Lantz; Nine Mile River; and Station 45 in Fall River) were also paged to respond to the scene. East Hants RCMP provided traffic control at the Hwy 2/White Road end, while EHS also responded.
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Firefighters found heavy fire upon arrival with extension into the attic/roof, said Copp.
“We deployed hand lines as well as our deck gun to knock the fire down from outside,” he said in an interview as the department cleaned up. “While the structure is still standing, it was heavily damaged.”
He said at that point is when crews entered the home to extinguish the fire.
“Unfortunately, the roof collapsed during our operations,” Copp said. “No firefighters were injured.”
There was no residents home at the time of the fire, Copp said.
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A witness at the scene told The Laker News that the homeowner was out and okay, along with their pet dog. The dog was rescued by a neighbour who ran inside. They were checked out by EHS for smoke inhalation but did not require transport.
In a short time after the fire, there were posts on an Alderney Drive community Facebook page from people reaching out to offer help and asking what the family might need after such a traumatic event.
At one point firefighters were inside fighting the fire, a vehicle ran over a hose line, according to a post made by the department on its Facebook page.
“We had four firefighters in this house today when someone ran over our charged line unnecessarily,” the post said in its PSA to the community. “That hose line was supplying water from a hydrant to our engine that was supplying water to the people inside.”
The department asked people to consider the repercussions of their actions that could result in driving over a charged hose line.
Copp said it took approximately two hours to extinguish the fire, which has been deemed as accidental in nature by fire investigators.
Local businesses such as Robin’s in Enfield; Enfield Esso; and Pete’za Perfect all stepped up and ensured the firefighters had coffee, snacks, and some pizza once cleanup was complete.
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