CORNWALL – A weekend fire at a home on St. Felix Street has been ruled accidental.
Fire Chief Pierre Voisine told Cornwall Newswatch the fire at 227 St. Felix started around 5 a.m. Saturday morning in the kitchen of the single family home.
“We determined it was a kitchen fire but some major damage, like I think the whole place is gutted,” said Voisine.
While the fire department said no one was home at the time of the fire, social media posts suggest someone was house sitting and escaped the flames.
Firefighters managed to pull a dog from the blaze but “he didn’t make it,” said Voisine.
The chief said a preliminary estimate on damage to the rental property and its contents is pegged at $250,000.
Meantime, the Facebook community has started taking up a collection for the family identified as “Beth and AJ.” A posting on the “Things to do in Cornwall Ontario” Facebook page said articles can be dropped off at 423 Sixth Street East.
A woman posting on the page, Rachelle Andre, identifying herself as a neighbour of the fire victims, said the family was away camping at the time of the fire.
Andre said the family didn’t have insurance.
A fundraiser to get the family members back on their feet is being held July 25 at the Navy Club on Sixth Street at 8 p.m. The fundraiser is organized by Brent Burke, Debbie Gagnon and Rachelle Andre.
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