Mont Carmel family of 3 safe after fire destroys home, barn

A Mont Carmel family of three people is safe after escaping a fire that destroyed their house and barn this week.

Wellington Fire Department communications officer Desmond Arsenault says the fire broke out in the barn, which was being used as aworkshop, and quickly spread to the house.

"Unfortunately the entire home was a total loss," he said, partially as a result of it being supported by some "very old, very dry timber inside."

Daughter awakens first

The department was called to the scene at about 4 a.m. on Monday, after a woman in her 20s living in the house was awakened by a popping sound and alerted her parents that they had to get out quickly.

The intense heat from the barn blaze, as well as the fact that a pile of firewood near the house ignited, spelled doom for the one-and-a-half-storey farmhouse, said Arsenault.

Arsenault said the residents of the house were "pretty shaken up, as you can appreciate."

The Canadian Red Cross and relatives are offering support.

Five fire departments involved

Crews from Wellington as well as Lennox Island, Tyne Valley, Miscouche and Summerside spread 40,000 gallons of water to extinguish the fire and douse hot spots.

Arsenault said there was a "bit of a scary moment" after the main power line to the house burned through and let go from the structure.

The charged line landed on one of our fire hoses and burst the hose, and thankfully our members saw that and dropped their hose immediately. Desmond Arsenault, Wellington Fire Department

"The charged line landed on one of our fire hoses and burst the hose, and thankfully our members saw that and dropped their hose immediately. So nobody did get injured, but it was a pretty frightening moment because there was a lot of voltage going to the home in those wires."

Also, firefighters had to alert neighbours to close their windows and consider leaving their homes at around 5 or 6 a.m. due to a change in wind direction that caused plumes of smoke to blow toward them.

Crews were there until 2 p.m. fighting hotspots.

The provincial fire marshal is still investigating the cause.

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