By Olivia Drake, HVFC Public Information Officer.
Firefighters from seven area departments battled a structure fire that occurred on July 2, 2019 on Old Chester Road.
At 7:35 p.m. Haddam Volunteer Fire Company responded to a reported basement fire at a single-family home. Upon arrival, crews encountered smoke billowing from multiple windows and an active fire at the back of the structure.
No one was home at the time of the fire so firefighters broke in through a back door on the basement level of the home. Firefighters used a hand line off East Haddam’s Engine 4-15 and immediately extinguished the fire.
The Haddam Fire Marshal is currently investigating the cause.
Crews contained the fire to one room, however heavy smoke permeated the entire house, making the home inhabitable. Crews worked on overhauling the fire for about three hours.
Mutual aid was provided by Chester, Durham, East Haddam, Haddam Neck, Killingworth, and Middletown South District fire departments. One firefighter was injured on scene and was taken to Middlesex Hospital during the incident. He has since been treated and released.
At 11 a.m. on July 3, HVFC was called back to the scene for reported smoke in the basement. Firefighters were unable to find the cause of the smoke and attributed it to soot and ash being “stirred up” in the basement by contractors, who were assessing the damage. Crews placed a ventilating fan in the window for two hours.
HVFC thanks our mutual aid companies Durham Volunteer Fire Company, East Haddam Fire Department, South Fire District Firefighters IAFF Local 3918, Killingworth Volunteer Fire Co., Chester Hose Company Inc. and Haddam Neck Volunteer Fire Department.
