Guelph (ON) fire dispatch received a call from 6565 Ellis Road reporting a house fire with people trapped October 1 at 2:54. Puslinch Fire was toned out for the working fire. The first tone indicated 14 people trapped. The second tone minutes later reported all 14 residents had exited the structure. The 10,000 square-foot house is located half a mile from The City of Cambridge (Waterloo County).

Puslinch responded with a pump, 50’ quint, two tankers, and a heavy rescue.  They arrived on scene and reported heavy fire venting from all three floors on the front of the very large house. Command requested Guelph’s tanker, a tanker and pumper tanker from Guelph Eramosa (Rockwood), and a pumper and tanker from Cambridge. Water was shuttled from a hydrant in Cambridge approximately a mile from the scene. The fire spread through the entire building within 20 minutes of arrival. The  home had an indoor volleyball court, a large indoor fountain as well as three, oversized, double-bay garages. A number of high-end cars were in the garages and destroyed. Damage to the building is pegged at $2,000,000, while the damage for contents will be set at a later date. The fire is not suspicious having started in a basement utility room. Box 690 was requested via mutual aid to rehab 30 firefighters on scene.

Gary Dinkel, Box 690