There were no injuries when fire broke out at a home on Avondale Road in Dartmouth over the lunch hour Tuesday.
Brad Connors, a division commander with Halifax Fire, said the fire was well underway when crews were called just after noon to a report of smoke at the residence.
“Crews responded to the scene (and) confirmed we had a working structure fire,” he said. “They did an aggressive interior attack and found fire in the basement. While one crew was attacking the fire, other crews were doing a search of the residence looking for occupants and pets.”
He said firefighters found and rescued a dog and a cat, and a second cat ran out the doors as firefighters went into the home.
Connors said the fire was contained to the basement inside the home, but did vent out through a basement window and up the side of the house. It didn’t get through the eaves into the attic, however.
The owners weren’t home at the time. The cause is under investigation.
It’s just the latest in a string of at least eight structure fires Halifax regional firefighters have responded to over the past seven weeks, and the third in the past four days.
“Things go in cycles. Unfortunately for our citizens, we’re in an upswing cycle when it comes to fires,” Connors said. “By times it does task our resources, but the crews have done an exceptional job over the last couple of weeks to respond to and handle all the fires and other emergencies we deal with on a daily basis.
“For us, it’s sort of another day of doing business. Unfortunately for homeowners, the busier we are, the worse their days are.”
