A Moncton home was heavily damaged and four pets were killed in a house fire early Friday evening.
Moncton Fire Department Platoon Chief Brian McDonald said they responded to a structure fire on Elmwood Drive around 5:30 p.m.
McDonald said the fire started in the basement and was spreading to the second floor when they arrived.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze and the residents evacuated the house, but seven cats and dogs were still in the house.
"Firefighters immediately began a search to find the family pets. All the pets were found in short order," said McDonald. "However, unfortunately four of them had passed away."
Firefighters performed CPR on the pets and delivered oxygen in an attempt to revive them all.
"Three of them were taken to a veterinary hospital. One of them at the hospital passed away," he said.
One resident of the home was injured with a minor burn and treated on scene and released.
The basement of the home sustained extensive fire damage and there was a lot of smoke damage throughout the home.
McDonald wanted to thank two Good Samaritans who assisted them with the animals.
One of them was an emergency department doctor was driving by at the time of the fire.
"She pulls over, gets out of her car and goes to the house fire and one of the dogs came out on its own. She takes that dog and puts it in her car," said McDonald.
The doctor started to help the firefighters treat all the pets by doing CPR out on the street.
"She was also doing some advanced life-saving techniques," said McDonald. "She made a huge difference in saving the life of a couple of pets there."
While the pets were being treated, a taxi driver approached McDonald and offered his help.
The firefighters loaded three pets into the driver's van to be taken to a veterinary clinic.
"The doctor goes in the van with three animals, treats them on the way to the Riverview Animal Hospital," he said. "We had two people step up to assist helping here."
The Codiac Regional RCMP and the Moncton Fire Department are investigating the cause of the fire.
According to the Canadian Red Cross, eight people were displaced by the fire.
A couple and two adult children, partners and two grandchildren are temporarily staying with other relatives. Red Cross volunteers have assisted with emergency purchases for clothing, food and other necessities.
