2022-01-26

Home destroyed in North Queens fire

by KEVIN MCBAIN

  • <p>SOURCE: GO-FUND-ME PAGE</p><p>Fire destroyed the North Queens home of Myles and Carolyn Crouse Jan. 15.</p>

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Greenfield Fire Captain Krista Crouse was one of many firefighters to respond to a fire on a chilly Jan. 15 at the North Brookefield home of her parents, Myles and Carolyn Crouse.

Chris Wolfe, chief of the North Queens Fire Department (NQFD), which was the lead department on the scene, sympathized, telling LighthouseNOW being confronted by a personal connection to a fire, "does affect your thinking."

"Emotions run high, but you just have to maintain your composure and do what you're supposed to do," he said.

The call came in just after noon, when winds were reaching 100 km/h, making the windchill about -18 C. It was the second day of a storm that dropped a lot of rain and snow in the area, and some plowing had to be done for the firefighters to have easier access to the house.

When the firefighters arrived smoke and flames were coming out of one side of the home and the roof, said Wolfe.

NQFD was assisted by firefighters from the Greenfield, Liverpool, Tri-District and Hemford fire departments. About 40 firefighters in all were on the scene for close to six hours. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The extreme cold meant some of the self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBs) were freezing up.

Suzette Conrad, the wife of Greenfield Fire Chief Moyal Conrad, set up a GoFundMe page on the internet following the fire to help raise money for the displaced Crouses.

"Myles and Carolyn are well known and respected by everyone who has come in contact with them. Always helping others and would never ask for help for themselves," Conrad noted on the GoFundMe page. "Although they are insured for what will be a total rebuild of their home, the expenses they are going to incur right now are out of pocket."

In less than a week, more than $6,400 had been raised for the couple, well exceeding the goal of $5,000.

Thank you for printing this article from lighthousenow.ca. Subscribe today for access to all articles, including our archives!