Terry Moore, 52, dies in Saturday night blaze
MANITOULIN—A house fire in Rockville on Saturday night claimed the life of 52-year-old Terry Moore and left her grandson James Moore in intensive care with third degree burns and lung damage due to smoke inhalation.
“On Saturday, February 22 at 9:13 pm, the Manitoulin Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) was notified of a house fire located on Rockville Road in the Northeast Town,” stated an OPP press release on Monday. “Officers arrived on the scene along with members of the Northeast Town Fire Department to find a family home fully engulfed in flames.”
“Preliminary investigation shows that five members of the family were home at the time when the fire broke out in the residence and that it quickly spread, completely destroying the home,” the release continued. “Four of the family members made it out of the house, while one member is still unaccounted for. Three of the family members were sent to hospital for burns and smoke inhalation and one member was transferred to Sudbury and is in serious condition from burns.”
The OPP would not confirm the identify of the family or that one member had perished in the fire, but a source close to the Moore family confirmed Terry Moore’s death.
Ms. Moore’s sister Ruth Eadie shared with The Expositor on Monday that the Moore family, including Terry, her husband Dave, daughter Rebecca, her boyfriend and Rebecca’s son James, were in their family home in Newby’s Bay during the time of the fire and that Terry didn’t make it out.
“We think she was probably sound asleep in her room in the basement during the fire and that’s why she didn’t make it out,” said Ms. Eadie. “Her grandson Brent (who wasn’t present for the fire) thinks she must have been trying to get her three dogs out who were with her. Those dogs were always with her.”
Ms. Eadie also said that 18-year-old James made it out of the house, but was badly burned and is now in the intensive care unit at Health Science North in Sudbury.
“James is in a drug induced coma for the pain in Sudbury,” Ms. Eadie said. “He was burnt so badly that his clothes melted to his skin and he’s had a lot of smoke damage to his lungs, but he’s alive. All we can do at this point is pray that he will be okay—he has a long road ahead.”
In addition to James, his mother Rebecca and her boyfriend were admitted to the hospital for smoke inhalation and burns, but have since been released.
The OPP said that the fire is still under investigation and that the Ontario Fire Marshal and OPP Forensic Identification Unit are assisting with the investigation.
“The investigation is still going on at the house and the remains haven’t been removed yet,” said Ms. Eadie on Monday afternoon. “We don’t even know what happened. They said it would be two-three days until we hear anything, but we were told it was probably the wood stove.”
Leslie Moore, Terry’s daughter, spoke of her mother as being a woman who loved the outdoors and was family focussed.
“She was a real outdoors woman and loved hunting, fishing or even being outside to chop wood,” Ms. Moore shared with The Expositor. “She took care of the family and all those around her. She was an amazing lady.”
This is the second devastating fire in the immediate neighbourhood within one year. In May, the home of John and Tina Balfe and family was also razed by fire.
Ms. Eadie is appealing to Manitoulin residents to assist the Moore family and has set up a bank account on behalf of the family where donations can be made at any Manitoulin branch of the Bank of Montreal.
“The best thing we can do to help is collect money or clothing donations for the family so Becky (Rebecca Moore) can focus on helping James in Sudbury,” concluded Ms. Eadie. “Any donations would be greatly appreciated.”
Clothing donations can be dropped of at the residence of Ruth Eadie at 31 Draper Street West, Little Current. Clothing is needed for Brent and James in size large for t-shirts and 30 x 32 for pants, 32 x 32 and medium sized shirts for Dave and size 16 jeans, large tops and large jogging pants for Rebecca. For more information please call 705-368-0256.
