The basement of a home in North Algona Wilberforce Township (NAW), near Bonnechere Caves, suffered severe smoke and water damages after a fire broke out late on Friday afternoon.
Firefighters of the Douglas Fire Department arrived first at the scene in accordance with their First Response Agreement with NAW, shortly after the alarm was raised by the NAW around 5:20 pm.
Bill McHale, Dougals Fire Chief said that when he arrived at the scene it was “very smokey and hot”.
He said, “We have a brand new crew of younger men who did an excellent job.” I can’t imagine how they put out that fire.
He added, “That house is only standing because of a great deal of work.”
McHale stated that the First Response agreement works.
It was great to have a nearby water source. “We never ran out water.”
The water was pumped from two mobile reservoirs and accessed via the Bonnechere River.
The occupants of the house, Charles and Heather Kuehl were not inside when the firefighters arrived. Mrs. Kuehl informed the firemen that her husband used oxygen, and the home contained some tanks.
Chief McHale noted that the departments work well together. Everyone does things differently, but the ultimate goal remains the same.
He explained, “We had firemen in the basement and the next crew was going to enter.” We had a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) on hand the whole time.
The RIT team will not enter a building unless there is a problem with the crew.
He noted that “there are always two people on the air in case something happened to those inside the building fighting the fire.” They’re going to go in and bring someone out.
Chief McHale called the County of Renfrew Paramedics to check on Mr. Kuehl’s welfare, knowing that he used oxygen. He was taken to hospital to have his condition checked.
The fire was contained in the basement. He claimed that flames came up the stairs. It looked as if the fire had been at the first or second floors.
When our first attack was launched, the firefighters thought that the fire was at the top of the building. Once they had extinguished the staircase, they realised the entire fire was located in the basement. This is when they began the assault down the stairs.
He explained that the house was built with many additions, including different rooflines and double walls.
Ted Browne said that NAW Deputy Chief at Golden Lake/Deacon responded to the fire from the Golden Lake hall and Rankin Hall. When they arrived, there was heavy smoke coming out of the building.
He said that Dougals and Rankin were the first to arrive on the scene. We launched an aggressive assault and found the fire in the basement. The house was filled with heavy heat and heavy smoke.
Before the explosion, they removed multiple oxygen tanks.
It was a two-story home at the front, with a basement that had a crawlspace and part of a basement. The house at the rear is a one-story.
He said that the flames did not penetrate the outside of the home. The fire had been contained in the basement.
The basement’s structure and heavy smoke made it difficult for him to find the fire. He thinks it began in the electrical/furnace area.
He said, “I’d say that it could be electrical.”
Dep. Chief Browne gave credit to the Douglas Fire Department, which fought the fire well until NAW arrived.
He said, “If we hadn’t had our First Response Agreement, the house would be fully involved by the time that we got there.” Douglas did an excellent job of controlling it, and we all worked well together.
The two fire departments were represented by 38 firefighters, with 17 Dougals firefighters and 21 NAW firefighters, as well as a complete complement of equipment, including three pumps, four tanks, and three rescue vehicles.
The paramedics from Renfrew were on the scene, but he said that only a few firefighters had minor injuries.
Douglas left the scene at around nine o’clock, and most of NAW had been released by ten o’clock.
He said that they had left four people, an ambulance, and a pumper there for the night in case flare ups occurred.
The couple is staying in Laurentian Valley Township, he believes.
Although the house’s exterior is in good condition, Dep. Chief Browne expressed concern that the water and smoke damage could prevent the home from being salvaged.
He said that the homeowners had expressed their gratitude. She (Mrs. Kuehl), came to thank everyone.
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