Fire rips through Niagara Falls home
‘We couldn’t even get close to it — it was too far, it was just horrendous,’ neighbour says
Damage is extensive after a fire ripped through a home in rural Niagara Falls on Thursday.
Emergency crews were called to a log cabin-style home on Schisler Road near Montrose Road shortly before 10 a.m.
“What made it challenging for us was the fire was already through the roof when we arrived,” said Niagara Falls fire Chief Jo Zambito.
About 38 firefighters battled the blaze for just less than three hours.
One firefighter was assessed by paramedics with Niagara Emergency Medical Services, Zambito said, but no serious injuries were reported.
There are no fire hydrants in the area and water had to be trucked in by tankers from Niagara Falls Fire Department as well as tankers from fire departments in Fort Erie, Welland and Thorold.
Dan Rainville, owner of Rainville Auto Sales & Service on Montrose Road, said he first thought his neighbour was barbecuing but then noticed “a little bit of black” and went to have a look.
He found the deck of the home was on fire and saw one of the residents trying to extinguish the flames.
Rainville said by the time he ran to his business to grab a fire extinguisher and back to the house, a door “exploded,” and the fire quickly spread.
“From running from there to here to grab an extinguisher and all of us running back, we couldn’t even get close to it — it was too far, it was just horrendous,” said Rainville.
Niagara Regional Police were called to assist with traffic control and scene safety and crews from the city also assisted in the operation.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation and a damage estimate is unknown as this time.
This is the second major fire in Niagara Falls in less than a week.
One home was destroyed by fire and second sustained substantial damage following a fire on Morrison Street on Saturday.