GOFFS: A residence in the 2300 block of Old Guysburough Road sustained “significant damage” as a result of a mid-afternoon fire on July 31 in Goffs.
At 2:30 p.m. a 911 call was received of smoke and fire at a house next to the caller’s home. Station 45 Fall River was at Halifax Stanfield Airport for familiarization so they responded quickly to the scene. The last of the fire crews at the scene left at about 6 p.m.
The call also sent mutual aid response from Station 41 (Waverley); Station 42 (Wellington); Station 43 (Grand Lake); Tac 45 (Fall River); Station 35 (Cooks Brook); Station 40 (Dutch Settlement); Enfield; Elmsdale; and Lantz fire to the scene, along with the Rehab unit and RCMP. Police provided traffic control at the scene, with traffic reduced to one lane.
As firefighters were making their way to the scene from the airport, heavy smoke could be seen billowing out from amongst the trees that surrounded the home.
“There was heavy black smoke upon our arrival in the back side of the house,” said Gord West, District Chief (District 4) with HRM Fire at the scene. “There was a lot of fire.”
He estimated there were approximately 35 firefighters (career and volunteer) on site at the call.
In an area adjacent to the home where a bench was, two people who are thought to be the homeowners were seen consoling. An HRM Fire official was seen speaking with the two for a little bit.
West said no one was home at the time of the fire.
He said the extreme humidity made fighting the fire difficult.
“The heat, you run out of steam pretty quick,” said West. “The firefighters get pretty warm. We have to watch out that nobody gets heat stroke or dehydrated.”
West said while he’s not a contractor, but he wasn’t sure if the home was salvageable.
“Probably not,” he said. “It’s hard for me to say. There’s a lot of significant damage on the first floor side.”
Fire investigators arrived later at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation, said West.
