A fire this past weekend at a home near Salisbury, N.B., has left a family of six displaced and their home destroyed. Salisbury Fire Department responded to the fire on Byron Eagle’s Road around 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Assisted by the Petitcodiac and Havlock fire departments, more than 30 firefighters worked for more than three hours to extinguish the fire. “When we first got on scene, there appeared to be fire (in the) kitchen area, heading up to the bedroom,” said Brad MacLeod, Salisbury Fire Department fire chief. “Then later we discovered that the fire originated downstairs and was coming up through the walls.” Some pets perished in the fire, but the local fire chief, Brad MacLeod, says the situation could’ve been a lot worse. “When we first got on scene, there was, a lot of the neighbors were there trying to help. They were trying to remove as many pets as possible. I had them stop that, for fear of going in and getting trapped themselves,” said MacLeod. “There were pets that survived at the end. They were in rooms that had bedroom doors closed, prevented the smoke and the heat from penetrating those rooms. When neighbors were searching, a lot of the doors were left open, which fueled the fire, which allowed it to spread, quicker.” When there is a fire, MacLeod says the public should stay away when possible. “In rural firefighting, we have to bring the water to the fire, and having cars block it makes it difficult for us to get the water there to put the fire out,” he said. Now the community is working to support the family and has set up a GoFundMe page. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
