A fire that swept through two homes in Donkin, N.S., early Monday morning has resulted in two families losing pretty much everything.
Fire chief Bruce Howie says the blaze started shortly after midnight in one side of the duplex on Centre Avenue, then spread to the other.
"The flames were coming out of the top, probably six or seven feet high, if not 10," says Howie.
Neighbours Terri-Lynn and Michael Hogan were evacuated in the middle of the night.
"The house was pretty well engulfed when I came out,” says Hogan. “Pretty black, pieces of cinder coming off the house, blowing towards ours."
Both families who lived in the building managed to get out without injuries, but by early Monday morning, both homes were torn down.
"Felt so bad for our neighbours. We didn't know if our house was in jeopardy or not because of the wind. It's a pretty scary thing," says Hogan.
Six different fire departments were called in to battle the blaze.
"At the time, it was that bad,” says Howie. “I did call in Glace Bay with their aerial. Then when they came in with their aerial, the water pressure here in Donkin dropped down that bad that we had to shuttle water, and then we had to call in Reserve Mines."
Neighbours say one woman who lived in one side of the duplex had resided there for more than 60 years.
"She was born and raised there,” says Terri-Lynn Hogan. “It's really hard.”
Neighbours are applauding the quick action of fire crews to put out the wind-whipped flames before they spread to other homes.
"Quick action of the fire department. They were here, wet down the other end of our house and kept our roof wet," says Michael Hogan.
The fire has been deemed accidental.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
