Damaged by fire
Two fire departments respond to Kildare blaze
A Kildare house was still standing Wednesday afternoon after firefighters from two West Prince departments were able to contain fire damage to the basement.
Firefighters from two West Prince departments were able to contain fire damage to the basement area of a house in Kildare Wednesday afternoon. Darrell Graham, a captain with the Alberton Fire Department, said they received the call of a house fire at 3:58 p.m. and responded with five trucks and 15 firefighters.
They called in Tignish for mutual aid assistance while en route, and they arrived with two tankers, a rescue unit and 12 firefighters.
Firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control and Tignish Department left the scene around 5 p.m.
Graham said the Alberton Fire Department was remaining on the scene checking for hot spots and waiting for the fire marshal to arrive.
The cause of the fire was still to be determined.
“The family is here; everybody is safe,” Graham reported.
He said the couple residing at the residence was sitting outside when they noticed smoke coming from their home and called in the alarm.
Other family members subsequently arrived on scene. Although he described the home as still structurally sound, Graham said the smoke and water damage in the basement is so extensive that the house is uninhabitable until professionally cleaned.
He said some of the ceiling in the basement had to be pulled down to search out hot spots. The captain wasn’t sure where the couple would be staying, but indicated the department offered to make arrangements for assistance through the Canadian Red Cross, should that be required.