Kirkland Lake volunteer firefighter Shawn Wong rescues woman from burning apartment

When two structure fires broke out in Kirkland Lake on the night of March 2, volunteer firefighter Shawn Wong was called into action like never before.

When two structure fires broke out in Kirkland Lake on the night of March 2, volunteer firefighter Shawn Wong was called into action like never before.

Just minutes after arriving at the second scene, he and fellow firefighter Jason Murdy helped pull a woman from a smoke-filled apartment on Government Road East. It was one of the most intense moments of 24-year-old Wong’s young firefighting career.

“I walked in, and you couldn’t even see the stairs, couldn’t see a foot in front of you,” Wong told TimminsToday.

“So we changed our approach and went in the back. We saw that she was out the window, and we quickly transitioned into a ladder extraction.”

With help from police officers, they guided her safely down a ladder. She was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Now in his second year with the Kirkland Lake Volunteer Fire Brigade (KLVFB), Wong doesn’t see himself as a hero.

“It was one of my first big fires and the first time really entering a building,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, we’re all trained to do that. I was just in the right place at the right time. Anybody in our department could’ve done it.”

Originally from New Liskeard, Wong now lives in Kirkland Lake with his girlfriend while she finishes school. He works remotely as a data analyst for Health Sciences North in Sudbury.

Volunteering as a firefighter is something he’s always wanted to do.

“In New Liskeard, the department’s full. There’s a waitlist to get in,” he said. “Here, there are still open spots. I also volunteer with the Kenogami fire department.”

The opportunity to contribute to the community drew him to firefighting.

“Especially in smaller towns, everyone takes care of each other,” he said.

“I think it’s super important that there are volunteers who step up. It’s extremely rewarding not just for me, but for the community.”

That sense of teamwork is something he returns to often. Even after being recognized by the town and receiving a certificate of heroism from KLVFB, Wong is quick to deflect the spotlight.

“I just really want to stress that it wasn’t just me,” he said.

“It was the entire department. The training we get, how we respond as a team, that’s what saved her. Not just me.”

Kirkland Lake Mayor Stacy Wight said the town is proud of Wong and Murdy’s actions.

“Our fire women and men are a steadfast team of professionals, invested in the health and safety of our community,” she told TimminsToday.

“Seeing this recognition is but a small token of appreciation for the outstanding job they do.”

On April 17, police charged a 37-year-old woman with arson in connection to the fires.

For Wong, firefighting isn’t about awards or headlines, it’s about being ready when someone needs help.

“It’s not for everybody. It’s a big time commitment, and you’re risking your life,” he said.

“But the friends you make, basically a family, and the chance to help people when they need it most? It’s worth it.”