Simsbury Selectman's Beloved Dog Missing After Fire Damages Home

SIMSBURY, CT — A top elected official in Simsbury and his family were displaced this week after a fire badly damaged their home — and now they're seeking help trying to find their beloved lost dog who fled the fire.

Citing the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Co., WTNH Channel 8 reported the fire happened Tuesday, March 3, on Holcomb Street at the home of Simsbury Deputy First Selectman Steven Antonio.

The fire happened at about 1:40 p.m. and damaged the home, Channel 8 reported.

While no humans were injured, either civilians or firefighters, one family dog was killed in the fire, and another fled and remains missing.

This has prompted a community response, with Simsbury First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis asking the community to give "positive thoughts" for the Antonio family.

"I am sending prayers out to the Antonio family - Steven, Lisa, Kathryn, Tommy, and Johnny, who are dealing with the tragedy of a house fire compounded infinity-fold as it resulted in the passing of their beloved Fiona, a sweet, big yellow lab who loved her family, and are now on the hunt to find Hazel," wrote Mackstutis on her Facebook page.

The missing dog, named Hazel, is a small, female blue heeler weighing 30 pounds and wearing a pink collar, according to the CT Dog Gone Recovery Network, which is organizing a volunteer search.

Described as "extremely skittish," the dog has been missing since Tuesday, March 3, in the Holcomb Street/Barndoor Hills Road area.

In a social media post on Thursday, Antonio said he's actually seen Hazel since the fire, but has been unable to reach her due to her skittishness.

"My family is still so broken. The loss of our beloved yellow lab, Fiona, just resonates, and we still have not found Hazel, our blue heeler," Antonio said on Facebook Thursday, March 5.

"We had sightings, and I even saw her myself yesterday. I just saw that it’s gonna rain and/or snow for the next three days. If anyone that has any time to drive around North Simsbury or South Granby or hike McLean Game Refuge, please keep your eyes open for her."

Antonio said the last Hazel sighting report was in nearby Granby at the game refuge.

Antonio asked that anyone who knows of Hazel's whereabouts TEXT him at 860-214-2792 (no calls).

For the full WTNH Channel 8 report on the fire, click on this link.