Scugog Fire responds to early morning fire in Blackstock

DAN CEARNS The Standard

SCUGOG: On Wednesday, June 5th, at 2:07 a.m., Scugog Fire was paged to a fire at 13900 Old Scugog Road in Blackstock. Upon arrival, the fire was observed to have engulfed two homes on Old Scugog Road. It was reported there had been an explosion in a shed behind the residence, which subsequently ignited a car, which then spread to the back of both homes. Thank you to the quick action of a neighbour who called 911 and alerted the families. All seven occupants in the two homes evacuated safely prior to Scugog Fire's arrival.

Two stations from Scugog Fire responded, with mutual aid provided by Uxbridge and Clarington. Scugog Fire, with help from Clarington's aerial truck, extinguished the fires, and currently, the scene is under a fire watch. The Office of the Fire Marshal has been contacted as standard practice for fires of this nature. Old Scugog Road was closed from Church Street to the Fairgrounds. Community outreach is underway through the local community to assist the affected families. Residents are reminded to ensure they have working smoke alarms on all levels of their homes, especially outside sleeping areas. For information on how to protect your family and property, please visit scugog.ca/fire.

"My thoughts are with the Blackstock families who have lost their homes. I am thankful for the response of Scugog, Clarington and Uxbridge Fire Services. I am proud of the quick support offered by the local community to their fellow neighbours. It is in these moments that a community comes together." said Scugog Mayor Wilma Wotten.

One woman, Jade Mckendry Coutoulakis, started a drop off site at the Blackstock Community Centre parking lot for the two families who lost their homes. Christy Stone-Curry of the Piano Inn Cafe assisted with the effort.

"It's the power of community, that's all it is. I woke up and checked the restaurant's social media, and I saw a post from a lady in Blackstock," she explained. "I just thought, 'Kudos to her, that is amazing.' So I decided to tell people if they have anything, they can drop it off at the Piano Cafe. So the whole concept of it was her idea."

Ms. Stone-Curry noted within an hour of sharing the post, people were coming to the local business and dropping things off. "The support was so amazing; the family was overwhelmed with things. It was wonderful," she said. "There were gift cards which were donated, grocery cards donated. Somebody donated from The Kid's Cupboard so they could get clothing. There were a lot of necessities like socks and underwear. There was a lot of little girls' clothing. There was a little pair of rubber boots." She noted people also rallied to find stuffed animals for the children affected.

There are two fundraisers set up online at www.gofundme.com to support the victims. To donate to them, go to the website and search "Dano and Elowen - House Fire Fund" and "Relief from Devastating Fire."