Couple flees Welland blaze
Working smoke alarms alert residents
Working smoke alarms alerted a Welland couple to a fire in their home Tuesday morning, allowing them to safely escape says Welland Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Chief Adam Eckhart.
Unfortunately, he says, one of the couple’s two dogs did not survive despite efforts made by firefighters to revive the animal.
Eckhart says firefighters were called to 4 Barrington Dr., on the northeast corner of Barrington and Endicott Terrace, just before 8:30 a.m.
“The family was asleep in the home … they reported hearing smoke alarms. They escaped and called 911,” he says, adding they did the right thing by getting out and staying out.
He says not only did the couple call 911 but so did numerous other people in the area.
“Neighbours called for help right away.”
Those calls helped cut down the response time and allowed firefighters to get the blaze under control quickly. The fire was in a room above the garage of the home, with large windows overlooking the street.
“Firefighters went inside and made sure everyone was out of
the home and made a fire attack inside. They suppressed and contained the fire.”
Five fire trucks and 32 firefighters were on scene. A Niagara Emergency Medical Services ambulance and paramedics were on standby around the corner from the fire and Niagara Regional Police had the area blocked off.
Eckhart says there were two pets in the home and the couple was able to escape with one.
“Firefighters brought the other one out, but unfortunately it didn’t survive,” he says.
Both residents suffered smoke inhalation and the male resident was taken to Welland hospital by paramedics for treatment, says Eckhart, adding the woman refused treatment and stayed on scene.
Investigators from the Ontario’s Fire Marshals Office were on scene assisting Welland’s fire prevention officers as they looked into what caused the blaze, which caused an estimated $100,000 damage. Eckhart says the fire marshal responded because of the smoke inhalation suffered by the residents.
“They were willing and able to assist us,” he says.
All of the services to the home — hydro, water and natural gas — were shut off and a company that boards up homes was also on scene.