Fire safety is on the minds of many this week after a house fire on Springfield Road claimed the life of a Kelowna woman.
Tuesday morning, March 13th, Michael VanGool and his two sons made it safely out of the house, after a faulty fuse sparked a massive fire around 5am. Michael's wife Loree Dubuque went back in to save the family's pet, and didn't come back out.
Kelowna Fire Department Platoon Captain, Tim Light has a few helpful reminders about fire safety, "Twice a year our time changes. It's an opportune time to just go 'you know what' it's spring-forward, we need to change our clocks and we've got to check, or change out batteries in our smoke detectors." Light adds that in the fall, "Before you start your fireplace up always make sure you get your chimney inspected. Make sure the firebox is clean. When disposing of ashes always put them into a metal container and make sure the embers are out." And make sure you create a plan. "As a family, when your time goes forward and time goes back, (talk about) your plan. When we all get out, where do we go, where do we meet, how do we know that everybody's out?"
When the fire occured on Tuesday Jeremy Freeman was driving by and spotted the fire. He quickly pulled over and started honking his horn to alert the family inside. Great choices according to the Platoon Captain. "Do not as a bystander go in. Do what you can to help people get out, if you see somebody inside, urge them to get to a window and break the window. Cal 9-1-1 immediately, or have someone call 9-1-1."
This terrible tragedy also has pet owners thinking about what they'd do in the event of a fire. Light says people are the number 1 priority. "Do not return back into that house for your favorite doll, your photo album, a family bible, anything. You were lucky to get out, stay out!" He also points out that housepets can be very resilient and often times will be able to escape on their own. "(People) are in the danger zone of hot gases and combustibles...pets are, most of the time, below our knee level. They can actually survive in a fire a lot longer than we can. Lots of times we have people come up to us, 'Oh my gosh, my cat's in there' and after all of the hustle and bustle of getting the fire out, all of a sudden from around the house, will walk a cat."
For more info on fire safety go HERE
To help contribute to the family of Loree Dubuque go HERE