THUNDER BAY — Five people suffered smoke inhalation, including two individuals who were taken to hospital, after fire broke out Monday in a residence in Westfort.
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue said the first responding crew encountered black smoke coming from the rear of a home on Frederica Street, and initiated a second alarm for additional support.
A fire had broken out in the kitchen, which sustained structural damage, but there was smoke and water damage throughout the residence.
According to a fire department spokesperson, the occupants were not in the home but were nearby, and were alerted to the fire when they heard their smoke alarms going off.
They then rushed into the building to rescue their dog, and while they got it out okay, they suffered smoke inhalation in the process.
In a statement Tuesday, the fire department stressed the importance of never entering a burning building to perform a rescue, saying "Fire crews are strategically located to respond quickly to a fire ... there is never any reason for a member of the public to reenter a burning building."
