THUNDER BAY -- A family on the city's south side escaped an early morning structural fire.
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue responded to a report of a structural fire around 1 a.m. in the 200 block of North Syndicate Avenue.
According to a release, crews reported seeing a large plume of flame and smoke almost immediately upon leaving their station, thus promoting initiation of a second alarm.
Upon arrival, heavy smoke and flame was showing from the exterior of the rear of the second half storey residential structure.
Fire crews quickly established an offensive attack at the rest of the structure and had fire fighters entering the home to conduct a search for potential victims.
The occupants of the home had managed to self-evacuate from the front of the home through a window on the first.
An adult male and female along with their young child managed to escape the blaze when they were alerted by a smoke detector in the home, the release says.
One occupant from the home did require medical attention and was transported to hospital for treatment, but is in good condition, said a TBFR spokesperson, who also confirmed the fire was due to improperly discarded smoking material.
Additional fire crews arrived on scene to support fire attack and interior search operations which resulted in the family’s pet dog being safely rescued by fire fighters.
Fire crews quickly brought the fire under control, however exterior damage to the residential structure was quite extensive while the rear of the interior portion of the home also sustained heavy fire damage from fire extension.
Upon complete extinguishment by TBFR, the fire scene was left in the care and control of the Thunder Bay Police Service to complete an investigation of the incident along with Thunder Bay Fire Rescue investigators.
A total of five pumpers, a command unit and an aerial ladder responded to this incident.
A $3,000 Go Fund Me page has been set up to collect money to help the displaced family,
