07/19/14 Bridgeport, CT – East side companies responded to 1081 Stratford Avenue to find a large, four-story, residential over commercial with heavy fire on the number four side burning on the second through fourth floors. Companies attempted an interior attack but were driven out buy the intense and fast spreading flames.
BC Thode transmitted a second alarm and ordered an exterior attack. An additional engine over the second alarm was special called. Three ladders, multiple master streams, and hand lines were used to knock down the heavy fire. Seven engines, three trucks, and the rescue battled the blaze for an hour to bring it under control. Companies remained on scene for several hours dousing hot spots. The upper floors were vacant at the time of the fire making the fire suspicious in nature. No firefighters were hurt battling the blaze.
At approximately 10:15am on February 9, 2014, the Bridgeport Fire Department was dispatched to 880 Hancock Avenue for a reported vacant house on fire. Companies reported seeing it as they were responding from Bridgeport Fire Headquarters and first-in units confirmed that with a report of heavy fire showing from the 2nd and 3rd floors of a vacant 3-story wood. The fire had already progressed to where it was communicating to the exposures on the B and D sides, and members had to help an elderly woman out of one of the exposure buildings. The fire melted siding on the exposures, but was stopped before fire could damage the inside of any of the adjacent homes. One firefighter sustained minor injuries after slipping out of Tower Ladder 5’s bucket into a nearby tree. He was quickly secured by close-by members and the mayday was cancelled. The fire is being investigated for arson after a dog from the State Fire Marshal’s Office sniffed out an accelerant at the scene.
