Caronport family loses home in house fire

On Wednesday afternoon, flames erupted from a family home in the village of Caronport just west of Moose Jaw.

The Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched along with the Moose Jaw Fire Department but the blaze was already too far gone. In the end, the entire building was destroyed.

Caronport Fire Chief Rod Appleby says the extreme cold made fighting the fire nearly impossible.

“Nozzles froze up, hoses froze up, trucks froze up, breathing apparatuses froze up, it was tough,” he said. “We were very glad to have Moose Jaw Fire Department come just as we were freezing up.

“The entire structure is gone, it was a total loss, but we were able to save the buildings to the south and north of it. We know the cause, but I’m not free to discuss that.”

No one from the family inside the home was hurt, but they escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

The village is already rallying around the family and is looking for local businesses willing to donate gift cards or household appliances.

A GoFundMe page has also been set up and community members are already organizing a meal train to deliver food to the family while they stay in a local hotel.