SHUTESBURY — Firefighters responding to a house fire Sunday night found one of the family’s two dogs alive in the basement after the blaze was under control.
At 7:22 p.m., the Shutesbury Fire Department got a call for smoke showing at 56 Wendell Road. When the fire department arrived, the top floor of the house was already in flames, though the home’s occupants — Gregory and Kathryn Steve — were uninjured, said Greenfield Fire Chief Robert Strahan.
“They were not home at the time, although the husband arrived on scene shortly after the fire was discovered,” Shutesbury Fire Chief Walter Tibbetts said.
No people were hurt, but one of the family’s dogs perished in the fire. The family’s second dog was found alive in the basement during a third search of the house.
“He was taken to the vet by the family, and reports that I’ve gotten he’s doing rather well,” Tibbetts said.
The other dog died, officials said.
One firefighter was taken to a hospital for a non-life-threatening condition related to the extreme heat and humidity, Strahan said.
That firefighter has recovered, Tibbetts said.
Attempts to reach the Steve family were unsuccessful on Monday. Gregory Steve formerly served as a fire captain in the town’s department.
Mutual aid was provided by fire departments from Greenfield, Leverett, Montague, New Salem, Deerfield, Amherst, Wendell, Turners Falls, Erving and Northampton.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com. Greenfield Recorder reporter Max Marcus contributed to this story.
