Clarington Firefighters rescue dogs from Courtice house fire

Clarington, Ontario – Clarington firefighters rescued two dogs, an alert Pug and an unconscious Chocolate Labrador Retriever, from a Courtice house fire on Saturday, May 27.

The call came in at 9:48 p.m. The first firefighters to arrive on the scene began searching the house upstairs to ensure no residents were asleep in the bedrooms. Fortunately, the residents were not home at the time. After finding the bedrooms empty, firefighters moved to the main level, where the fire had started in the kitchen.

“The smoke was thick. We had zero visibility,” said Firefighter Sam Graham.

Firefighters found the Chocolate Labrador Retriever lying on the floor. As they picked up the dog, they saw the second dog nearby. The firefighters rescued both dogs from the home before going back into the building to put out the fire.
In total, seven fire vehicles responded to the scene. The fire was extinguished quickly but caused smoke and fire damage to the home. There were no injuries.

The first fire crew to arrive on the scene was (left to right) Acting Captain Dwayne Glaspell, Captain Dan Worrall, Acting Captain Tyler Muir, and Firefighter Sam Graham, under the direction of Platoon Chief Paul O’Hare. 

The Pug, named Dolly, appeared unharmed from the fire. Charlie, the Chocolate Lab, was unresponsive and had no detectable heartbeat. At the scene, Clarington firefighters, Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) Canine Unit, and paramedics worked to resuscitate the dog with the help of the pet oxygen mask carried on the fire truck.
The Chocolate Lab was taken to the animal hospital for veterinary care. The dog is currently recuperating at the animal hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

“This is a good news story. I’m proud of our crew’s response and pleased to hear the dog is getting better,” said Deputy Chief Randy Cowan.

– 30 –

Media inquiries:
Municipality of Clarington
Jennifer O’Meara
Policy and Communications Advisor
905-260-2844 or jomeara@clarington.net