A split-second decision to skip camping and pick up an early shift turned into a rescue in Radville, Saskatchewan.
Samantha Tegart and her boyfriend, Greg Stewart, pulled eight people and a dog from a burning home early Sunday morning at 629 Mann Ave., about 130 kilometres south of Regina, after spotting flames at their neighbour’s house.
“Thank God we did, because everybody around their house was gone on May long weekend camping,” Tegart told CBC.
Tegart said she saw the fire as she and Stewart were leaving their own home.
“I happened to get out of the house first and Greg was following behind. I look up and I just see like this orange on our neighbor’s house,” Tegart said.
The couple ran over and started banging on the front and side doors.
“Greg said that he didn’t think they could hear us,” Tegart recalled. “I got out of the way and he kicked the door in and went into the house and started yelling ‘Everybody get out, get out, get out,’ while I ran to the street, grabbed my phone. I dialed 911 right away to make sure the fire department was on their way.”
They then moved through the house as flames spread, waking people and guiding them outside and away from the smoke.
“After all, we are very proud that our instincts kicked in,” Tegart said. “All the stuff we’ve been trained to do at work was put into effect and we were able to execute it safely.”
Both work in the oil field. Tegart is a safety worker and Stewart is an oxygen hand.
All eight people and the dog got out nearly unscathed, though one person needed oxygen for smoke inhalation. Tegart and Stewart had throat irritation and were checked in hospital.
“I burnt the back of my hair off because there was a flame that blew through the living room,” said Tegart. “As I turned, it just kind of singed the back of my body, and I just ducked down and I was out. So I mean, my hair can grow back. So it’s not a major, major thing … Greg burned his throat pretty bad. He was in the smoke more than anyone trying to put it out.”
Tegart credited the Radville-Laurier volunteer fire department for its quick response.
Fire Chief Byron Labbie said the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
“I think they did the community a great service and I’ve talked to them and told them that they did an excellent job of being good neighbors,” Labbie said.
Labbie said firefighters used six lines from two pumper units to fight the blaze from outside.
“We attacked the fire with six lines off two pumper units and basically tried to extinguish it from the outside. The fire ended up getting up into the ceiling, then the roof started to fall in, and then we extinguished it,” Labbie said.
He said the house usually has two people living in it, but more family members were there that day.
“[The homeowner’s] family was there for their grandfather’s birthday. I believe he was turning 84,” Labbie said. “Normally there’s just two that live in the house.”
Labbie said it was still unclear if the home’s smoke detectors were working.
Tegart said she was focused on the fact everyone made it out alive.
“The 911 operator was very calm and helped me make sure that we were doing everything right,” she said. “There’s a lot of ‘what ifs’ … but we just want to keep thinking of the outcome that everyone is alive. Houses can be replaced, but people can’t.”
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