The town of East Gwillimbury is pulling together to offer support and assistance to the community in the aftermath of a deadly house fire that claimed the lives of four members of the Dunsmuir family on Friday.
In a news release sent to media Saturday afternoon, the town’s mayor, Virginia Hackson expressed the loss felt by the community at large:
“This community is in shock… We are a close-knit community and we share a great sense of loss and sorrow for the Dunsmuir family and friends.”
The news release stated that All three East Gwillimbury fire stations worked in tandem with EMS and York Regional Police to contain the blaze.
The town’s Emergency Services Department is comprised of six full-time firefighters and 81 part-time volunteers, which is “typical for smaller communities in Ontario,” according to the towns Deputy Fire Chief Phil Dawson. Dawson praised the response and dedication of his crew, stating they made a ‘heroic effort’ in the face of this emergency.
East Gwillimbury is currently cooperating with the Ontario Fire Marshall’s office in an investigation to determine the source of the fire as well as why the family was unable to evacuate in time.
The news release concluded with an expression of gratitude from the Mayor, as well as promising to keep the town informed of further updates:
“We would like to thank the York Region police and EMS staff who worked tirelessly with our fire department,” the Mayor said. ” We will endeavor to keep the community informed about any opportunities to honour the Dunsmuir family.”
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