PENHOLD - Local firefighters are crediting a Good Samaritan for saving a family during the early morning hours of Aug. 30 from serious injury or worse when he woke them up early in the morning to alert them their home was on fire.
"A male passerby on his way home from work noticed the rear deck, side of the house and roof on fire and woke up the occupants telling them to evacuate," said Jim Pendergast, chief of the Penhold Fire Department. "There is no doubt that the Good Samaritan saved possible injury to the occupants as the house was already filling with smoke."
Pendergast said Penhold firefighters were dispatched to the Robinson Avenue home at 4 a.m. on Aug. 30.
“On arrival there was heavy fire showing through the roof on the rear of the house," said Fire Lieut. Josh Wilson. He added firefighters initially attacked the fire from the rear of the house.
Pendergast said there were five occupants in the house, along with two pet cats.
“All five occupants were able to get out and are with the neighbours," said Pendergast, adding firefighters rescued one cat. As of 9 a.m. Thursday morning (Aug. 30) the second cat was still missing.
Pendergast said that although there was extensive flames coming from all sides of the house there was no damage to any other homes. He said there is no exact estimate of damage but the home was a writeoff with damage in excess of $300,000.
Penhold fire investigators have determined the cause of the house fire to be improper disposal of smoking materials on the rear deck.
There were no injuries to home occupants or firefighters.
Pendergast said the blaze was handled by 18 firefighters, with five fire vehicles responding, along with EMS, RCMP, and crews from the town's public works and utilities departments. Fire crews will remain on scene until after 8 a.m. with a section of Robinson Avenue closed off to traffic.
