UNION CORNER, N.S. — A family has been left homeless after fire tore through their basement apartment in Union Corner Jan. 19, and two more adults were displaced due to smoke damage to their home.
The Brooklyn Fire Department was paged out to a structure fire on Old Highway 215 in Union Corner around 6:20 a.m.
Upon arrival, deputy fire chief Wayne Swinimer said heavy smoke and fire was showing through the back window of the basement.
“There were two adults living upstairs and two adults and four kids living downstairs,” said Swinimer. “They all got out. They had a little bit of smoke inhalation and they were transported to the hospital just to be checked out.”
In total, seven were checked over by EHS, while one adult did not require treatment.
Hantsport deputy fire chief Paul Maynard noted that there were several cats that managed to escape the fire, but one cat had to be rescued. It had suffered smoke inhalation and firefighters used a pet oxygen kit. It was the first time they had used the device, which had been donated by Invisible Fence, and they were able to revive the cat.
Swinimer said the fire started in one of the bedrooms in the basement apartment and caused substantial damage to the unit.
“Upstairs is not bad. It’ll need some cleaning but I’m not sure if they’re going to stay in it or not,” said Swinimer. “Downstairs was damaged too much to live in anymore.”
He said the Canadian Red Cross was alerted to the situation and will be helping the downstairs family.
A press release issued later in the day from the Red Cross indicated the organization was helping the tenants of the basement unit with emergency lodging, winter clothing, food purchases, blankets and other basic needs.
The downstairs renters didn’t have tenant insurance.
“Basement fires are always challenging but the first couple of crews in did a great job getting in quickly and getting it knocked down,” said Swinimer.
He said the fire marshal won’t be investigating as the fire was not suspicious in nature.
Brooklyn, Hantsport, Summerville, and Windsor fire departments all responded to the call.
