A family of four is thankful to be alive after the Winnipeg firefighters rescued them from the top floor of a burning building late last night.
The McIvors were on the third floor of a three story apartment building in the 400 block of Furby Street when they heard a fire alarm and felt heat underneath them. A fire was burning on the second floor.
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“I was trying to exit the building through the back door. But as we opened the door there was too much smoke,” 20-year-old Dwight McIvor said. The exit at the front door was also full of smoke.
“We started running basically in circles wondering what we’re going to do. There was so much smoke you couldn’t even see 10 feet in front of you,” McIvor said.
McIvor and his mother, brother and cousin huddled in one bedroom, the only room in their apartment that was nearly smoke-free, and placed a blanket on the ground to block smoke from seeping under the shut door. They screamed and yelled out the window to the fire department for help.
“We felt doomed. Didn’t know where to go. Didn’t know what to do,” McIvor said. “We all looked at each other and said we love you. I said we’re sorry and we all gave each other a hug. I gave a prayer hopefully that we’re going to make it.”
“Telling these guys bye. And we love each other,” Nancy McIvor, Dwight’s mother said crying as she recalled feeling helpless in that bedroom waiting to be rescued.
The family was considering jumping out the window.
“I was willing to jump to save my life,” said Nancy. “You only have one life and I didn’t want to die that way.”
Dwight said shortly after, the fire department busted down their doors and guided them out.
“I’m glad they came when they did because we couldn’t put another 5 more minutes in that smoke,” Dwight said.
“25 minutes. 30 minutes. Felt like an eternity,” he said.
The McIvors were transported to hospital by ambulance and treated for smoke inhalation. They were discharged early this morning.
The family is searching for their cat, Lucky.
“He’s like my family. That’s why I tried to look for him right away. I want to know where my baby is,” said Nancy.
For now, the family is staying with Nancy’s sister. They left with only the clothes on their back and are asking for donations.
Cam MacIntyre, the owner of Armour Management, said his company is working with displaced families to find them a place to stay.
“We would transfer the rent to the new spot,” said MacIntyre.
