Family dog dies, home destroyed in LaSalle fire

A family of three lost their home and a dog on Wednesday evening, after a fire tore through their house in LaSalle, Ont.

The LaSalle Fire Service received a 911 call just before 8 p.m. after a man smelled smoke that was coming from the garage in the 800 block of River Avenue.

Fire Chief Ed Thiessen said crews were on the scene within 10 minutes. A man and his daughter were at home at the time of the fire. Her mother was not home.

One dog was able to escape. One dog did not.

"When I arrived on scene, it had expanded from a garage fire to a fully-involved house fire," Thiessen said. "Given the size of the blaze, crews fought the fire exclusively from outside the home."

They were able to extinguish it, but the home, its contents and two vehicles parked in the driveway were all destroyed.

"We feel really bad for the family," Thiessen said. "One of the dogs made it out, and the other one did not. It's another very sad event."

Thiessen said.the home had working smoke detectors, but the man was able to smell smoke before they even went off.

The fire service stationed a crew and a vehicle outside the home overnight to make sure the fire didn't reignite. Investigators are now on the scene.

The chief said the situation demonstrates just how quickly fire can spread through a home.

"When your smoke alarm or smoke detector does sound, you know, get out and stay out," Thiessen said.