SUN VALLEY, Sask. – A fire early Sunday morning has completely destroyed a house in the resort village of Sun Valley, about 30 minutes north of Moose Jaw.
Moose Jaw Fire was called to the Kuntz family home on Tatanka Drive early Sunday morning. When firefighters arrived on scene, the house was fully engulfed in flames.
Shane Kuntz said his brother, Shaun Kuntz, woke up in the middle of the night, walked into his kitchen and saw flames coming from the ceiling.
Shaun was able to wake his wife and two daughters and get them to safety before their house burned to the ground. He was taken to hospital in Moose Jaw for smoke inhalation, but has since been treated and released.
Shane said his brother’s family had a pet cat and turtles, but they did not survive.
Neighbour Robert Kowbel was the first person on scene. He normally hears coyotes at night that wake him up, but said Sunday night was different.
“At five this morning we were awoken by hollers and screams and we could see fire coming out the front of the house here,” said Kowbel.
“I ran back and had my wife phone 9-1-1,” Kowbel continued. “They got out with whatever clothes they had on their back. No keys. No cell phone. No nothing.”
Lieutenant Chris Ozog with Moose Jaw Fire said there was no way to save the home: “It was gone before we got here.”
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- ‘Shock and disbelief’ after Manitoba school trustee’s Indigenous comments
- Several baby products have been recalled by Health Canada. Here’s the list
- ‘Sciatica was gone’: hospital performs robot-assisted spinal surgery in Canadian first
He said firefighters focused on preventing the fire from spreading.
“We have a portable pump that we took to the lake to get extra water and then we just tried to protect the exposures and knock the fire down,” Ozog said.
Six hours after the fire started, crews worked to pull debris out of the basement and put out any hot spots.
Sun Valley councillor Ron Kuhling was impressed by the quick response from Moose Jaw Fire.
“They’re great. I understand they were here in about half an hour. Johnny on the spot, well-organized.”
In the winter months, about 125 people call Sun Valley home. That number doubles in the summer, and Kuling said residents will support the Kuntz family.
“We offer all the assistance we can. Depends what they need. But people come together, offer them a place to stay, clothing. It’s a close knit community.”
There is no word yet on a cause for the fire.
Comments