Port Colborne firefighter healing continues
It was a year ago today that four family members perished in a Port Colborne house fire
It was a year ago today that one of the most tragic fires in Port Colborne’s history left a community in tears.
Four people perished in the blaze at 53 Nickel St.
It’s a tragedy that continues to haunt fire Port Colborne Fire and Emergency Services Chief Tom Cartwright, who ever since a mother, her two children and their grandmother perished in the blaze has been on a crusade to ensure every home in his city, where compliance is low, has working smoke alarms.
“Not a day goes by without us thinking about what happened,” Cartwright said Wednesday.
The early morning blaze on Dec. 14, 2016, claimed the lives of Tammy Burd, 37, and her children Samantha Zuvic, 15, and Joshua Zuvic, 2, and Eva Burd, 83.
Tammy Burd’s husband Joe Zuvic, 37, and an uncle, Gary Burd, escaped the fire.
The blaze at the two-storey rental house was difficult for Cartwright and fellow firefighters. Shortly after arriving on scene at about 1:30 a.m., firefighters removed Eva Burd from the house. The chief attempted CPR on her, but she died at the scene.
Twenty firefighters worked for three hours in freezing conditions to get the blaze under control. An aerial ladder and pumper truck was used to extinguish the fire from above.
Firefighters were offered mental health services immediately after the fire.
Cartwright said a team from Burlington that deals with crisis management came to Port Colbone to offer assistance. He said the team offered multiple two-hour sessions over a five-month period to firefighters affected by the tragedy.
The fire department continues to provide help through its chaplain, Brian Lofthouse, as well as counselling services.
Next year officers and firefighters will receive speciality training to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and critical incidents. Cartwright said the program is also open to their family members.
“This is so family can recognize the warning signs,” Cartwright said.
Some people don’t recognize they have been affected by an incident and take it out on their loved ones, Cartwright said. Some indicators something may be wrong are anger or silence and shutting people out.
Since the fire, Cartwright said his department has been “in peoples’ faces” more about having working fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
In October, the department provided free alarms to people. Residents are always welcome to call the fire department to have new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed at a small cost.
The Nickel Street house did not have working fire detectors; landlords are required to provide working fire alarms for their tenants.
Cartwright stressed having fire alarms could save lives.
The fire department has laid charges against the owners of the building. The case will be before the courts next year, the chief said.
The fire was determined to be accidental as a result of an investigation by the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal and Niagara Regional Police.
Damage to the building was estimated to be between $150,000 and $200,000. The building was demolished and the plot remains vacant.