‘THE HEAT WAS SO INTENSE’
Blaze roars through home, claiming pets
A St. Clair Shores woman and her adult daughter were left homeless after a fire that took the lives of several pets broke out over the weekend.
Firefighters reported the blaze, which took place in the early-morning hours of Feb. 17, burned for several hours and consumed the house on Frazho Street, east of Little Mack Avenue. It started in the basement and quickly spread.
Firefighters said they experienced “high heat and zero visibility conditions” as they entered the burning structure.
“The heat was so intense that it began melting the handle of the smooth bore nozzle,” firefighters reported on their Facebook page. “As the fire went on, crews had heavy fire on all levels of the home with multiple holes burned through first floor. After several hours and extensive overhaul, the fire was brought under control.”
The homeowner, Rosemary Mastrianni, and her daughter, Tina, were able to evacuate while their pet dogs and cat — along with her newborn kittens — died in the incident.
Witnesses reported seeing a firefighter performing CPR on one of the dogs in an effort to revive the animal from smoke inhalation.
“While we are very relived and thankful that the homeowners were able to evacuate without harm, we are saddened to report the family’s pets were unable to escape,” firefighters said. “Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.”
A Give In Kind donation page set up for the family indicated the fire is suspected to have originated from the dryer in the laundry room.
“The fire resulted in the complete loss of Rosemary and Tina’s home, leaving them displaced and emotionally devastated,” a message on the page states. “The emotional toll of losing both their residence and beloved companions cannot be understated, and they will require extensive support and assistance in the aftermath of this traumatic event.”