Devastated Family Loses Home and Dog in Tragic Fire

A family in the Montreal suburb of Pointe-Clare is reeling from the loss of their home and beloved dog in a devastating fire that occurred on September 8. The fire, which started when the family was away, destroyed all of their possessions and tragically took the life of their dog.

Marisa Di Meglio, a member of the family, expressed her deep sadness over the loss, saying, “Absolute sadness. It just brings back so many bad memories.”

The fire ignited in the late afternoon, moments after Marisa’s husband Robert Gillen had left to pick up their son Jacob from football practice. When they returned home, they were met with a blazing inferno, with their dog trapped inside.

Despite their desperate efforts, Robert and Jacob were unable to save their beloved pet.

Dispute with Alarm Company Adds to Family’s Distress

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the family finds themselves embroiled in a dispute with their home alarm security system provider, Securitas. According to Marisa, the company failed to alert emergency services about the fire.

Securitas claims that the alarm system was not connected to the central service due to low battery levels, which supposedly went unnoticed since July. Marisa questions why the company did not inform them of the low battery situation.

She further reveals that there were no indications of a low battery warning on the alarm panel and no messages were sent to their phones.

In response to the family’s complaints, Securitas wrote in a letter, “In July 2023, a low battery level signal was reported, and a notification should’ve been sent to your keypad and on your total connect application.” They also suggested that damage or communication failure from the internet line might have caused the disconnection from the central system.

The letter also emphasized the importance of regular testing for alarm systems, stating that the last test was conducted on November 1, 2022.

Securitas, while expressing sadness over the incident, declined to comment publicly on the specifics of the family’s security and safety systems. However, they offered the family a new system and six months of free service. Marisa rejected this offer, demanding a full reimbursement of fees for a system that she believes failed them in their time of need.

The family, currently living in a rental home, is focused on rebuilding their lives amidst the ongoing turmoil. They express deep regret over their inability to save their dog and believe that if the alarm company had contacted them, they could have prevented the tragic outcome.

As the family continues to cope with their loss, they hope for a resolution with Securitas and are determined to move forward.