P.J. Harston
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 05/97) - Two firefighters were taken to hospital after helping save retired Anglican Arctic Diocese Bishop John Sperry's house from flames, Saturday night.

One firefighter received a back injury and the other was knocked off a ladder by a 220-volt electric shock and fell about two metres to the ground.

Deputy fire chief Mike Lowing said the shocked firefighter took three tries to get up, was dusted off and sent back to work, as there was a fire to put out.

Later, he was taken to hospital to have his heart monitored but was released from hospital that night, along with the other firefighter.

On Sunday morning, soot-covered and partially charred pink insulation was piled high in front of the Dakota Court home, just off Gitzel Street.

That and the trampled snow on the roof all around the house were the only obvious signs that something terrible occurred to the house the night before.

Sperry and his wife were home when the blaze broke out at about 6:30 p.m. "It started in the chimney, and went from there, I believe," said Sperry.

He and his wife escaped without injury, much to the relief of dozens of neighbors who came out of their homes on a relatively warm winter evening to investigate the smoke and flashing lights that blanketed their neighborhood.

Sperry could only watch as firefighters equipped with air-tanks attacked the blaze with high pressure hoses, using chainsaws to cut through the roof of his home to get at the flames.

That's how the firefighter hit the 220-volt line, standing on a ladder while cutting into the attic.

"Firefighters found open flames coming from the roof and chimney area of (the home)," deputy fire chief Mike Lowing said in a news release.

Eighteen firefighters, under the direction of Lowing, fought the fire using an aerial truck, a pumper, command vehicle and support vehicle while two ambulances stood at the ready.

Bylaw constables blocked off both sides of Gitzel Street so firefighters could string a hose across the street from a nearby hydrant.

Firefighters battled the blaze for the better part of two hours until declaring it out, but only after it had done an estimated $60,000 in damage to the structure. About $20,000 in damages occurred to the home's contents.

The fire is considered accidental but still under investigation, said Lowing.