File Photo (Adam RIley/Acadia Broadcasting)
Inter-agency cooperation and working smoke alarms is being credited with a quick response with no injuries to a fire this week on Thiel Road.
The blaze broke out at a home on the north side of the road late Monday afternoon, just within the jurisdiction of the Oxdrift Fire Team.
When crews arrived they came upon a working fire, and requested mutual aid from both Dryden and Wabigoon fire fighters for tanker support.
Oxdrift Fire Chief Kirk Bradley says the cold weather proved to be a challenge, but the cooperation between the three services provided seamless coverage and coordination.
“Our joint training between our departments in our area here really came into play on this. We were able to work together flawlessly at minus thirty five and there was no incidents as far as everything went safely and as efficiently as possible.”
Fire fighters were required to assist with the rescue of some pets from the structure, but all occupants were accounted for and thankfully uninjured, despite a total loss of the home.
Bradley called the blaze a “very tough fire” as it took fire fighters six hours to get the fire under control and fully extinguished.
“We started fighting the fire towards the back of the structure, it had already gotten into the roof and moved throughout the structure so it became a defensive attack right away. It was very stubborn, partially because of the cold, partially because of the good building construction.”
Also being credited for assistance and support was other first response agencies, Northwest EMS and the Ontario Provincial Police, as well as Dryden Public Works and Emcon, which provided sanding support to where the water tankers were operating.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, however it is not considered suspicious in nature.
