House destroyed in overnight fire; firefighters save cat and neighbouring homes

An overnight fire in the centre of St. John’s has destroyed one home, and displaced three people.

Firefighters were called to the home, on Alderberry Lane, at about 1:30 a.m.  and arrived to find the upstairs of the home completely engulfed in flames with fire coming through the roof.  Crews quickly turned hoses on two neighbouring homes in an effort to stop the blaze from spreading.

Mike Hall, Platoon Chief with the St. John’s Regional Fire Department, stated all three residents of the home were outside when crews arrived, and were reportedly uninjured.  A resident in a neighbouring basement apartment had to be rescued by police, through a window on the opposite side of the home because intense heat and flames made exiting through the exterior door impossible.

It took firefighters over half an hour to knock the flames down enough to enter the home in search of a cat.  Shortly after going inside, a firefighter carried the family pet out of the home and into the waiting arms of its owners.  Oxygen was given to the animal as crews continued to knock down the remaining flames.

The home was completely destroyed in the fire, and a neighbouring home sustained some fire damage to the outside .

An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.