Friends seek help for Onset man following fire that claimed dogs life

Following a two-alarm blaze at an Onset home on Friday, March 20 a firefighter almost fell through the roof and a beloved dog passed away, friends are calling upon the community for help.

The fire began at around 2 p.m. at 4 Dusty Lane in Onset. There were no residents at home at the time of the fire, but crews on scene located a dog inside the house. 

The dog, a 12-year-old pitbull named Estia, was deceased on the scene of the fire according to Onset Assistant Fire Chief Howard Andersen. A GoFundMe for the homeowner Johnny Santoro said that Estia wasn't just a pet, she was "always by his side through everything."

The fundraiser was created by Santoro's best friend Ryan Cappola who said that helping out and giving back to his friend "means everything" to him. 

"He (Santoro) is one of the nicest people I've ever met and he's constantly helping out people in the community— friends or whoever," Cappola said.

Losing both of his parents during the Covid-19 pandemic, Cappola said that Santoro is on his own. The GoFundMe was created as Cappola said his friend "never asks for help." 

Santoro is the owner of Santoro's Pizza and Subs at 1 Depot Street in Wareham. He bought the house six years ago and was at work when the fire broke out.

According to Cappola, Santoro was home at 1:30 p.m. to give his dog water. By 2:09 p.m. neighbors had called to inform him of the blaze. 

Though Santoro has been able to recover some objects from the home and is staying with a friend, most items have been lost to the fire. Cappola said the biggest loss for his friend was Estia, who was Santoro's "little baby girl."

"He tried to go in and save the dog before the fire department came, and his neighbor tried too," he said. "He just wishes he got his dog." 

The firefighter who almost fell was cutting a hole in the roof to ventilate the heat and smoke within the home. 

The firefighter was working in close proximity to the ventilation hole and stepped into the cutout area while attempting to maneuver around the hole. The firefighter was removed from the ventilation hole without injury.

“We are fortunate that no one was hurt today and the firefighter was quickly assisted by the other firefighter working beside him. Firefighting is a team effort and that is evident today," Andersen said. 

Andersen said the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The Onset, Wareham, Marion, Plymouth, Bourne, Carver and Joint Base Cape Cod fire departments all responded to the call.

Santoro is looking to honor Estia in the future with plans to change the Santoro's pizza logo to the dog and to stay in the "town he loves." 

For Cappola, he said he was also mourning Estia but that he was glad his friend was safe. 

"I'm glad he wasn't there, because he's my best friend," he said. "And we can't lose him."