East Granby, CT had a 3-Alarm fire on arrival for a house at 195 N. Main St engulfed by flames on 7/16/23 at 23:02. The family dog woke the residents up. This was the second multi-alarm of fire of the day for them, a department that does about 250 calls a year.
Patrick Dooley
New Haven 3rd alarm 92 Chapel St. vacant commercial building
07/14/23 New Haven, CT – Multiple calls alerted Fair Haven companies that they would be going to work. First-due Engine 10 reported a two-story, commercial building going good with exposures. Companies stretched big lines and prepared for an exterior firefight. Heavy fire vented the second floor windows as Truck One’s tower worked to beat the flames back. A second alarm was transmitted due to low water supply and the extreme heat of the day, but companies were able to keep the fire to the building of origin. However, with no headway made on a now deep seated fire, a third alarm was transmitted bringing additional companies to the scene. The fire took about an hour and a half to bring under control. Firefighters remained on the scene throughout the night with a fire watch detail. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the New Haven Fire Marshal’s Office and New Haven Police Department. Four firefighters were injured battling the blaze.
New Haven 2nd alarm 272 Lombard St. dwelling fire
05/13/23 New Haven, CT – Lombard station companies arrived to find heavy smoke showing from the top floor of this private dwelling. The fire had gained a foothold in the top floor and attic requiring multiple lines to be stretched as members of Truck 3 performed topside ventilation. All searches proved negative with the exception of a dog and cat that were rescued by firefighters. The dog survived and the cat died in the fire. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
Glenn Duda
Waterbury, CT 3rd alarm 835 So. Main St. vacant building
05/27/23 Waterbury, CT – Waterbury FD companies found heavy fire issuing from a mill building complex at the site of the former Waterbury Companies, which has long been vacant. Crews had a difficult time accessing the area because of a river alongside and heavy vegetation. Three ladders, several multi-versals, and hand lines were used to control the fire which took about three hours. All Waterbury Fire Department companies were used to battle the blaze. The cause of the fire is suspicious. Several firefighters were evaluated for various medical conditions.
Glenn Duda, Allhandsworking
New Haven 2nd alarm Abate’s Pizza 129 Wooster St.
05/11/23 New Haven, CT – New Haven firefighters received reports of fire from the roof of a commercial building, and arriving units found heavy smoke issuing from a one-story restaurant. Companies were met with a heavy fire condition in the cockloft. Engine companies quickly stretched two and a half inch hand lines, which were operated in a coordinated effort with truck companies for ventilation. This resulted in the fire being knocked down in about fifteen minutes. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the fire marshal’s office.
Glenn Duda, Allhandsworking
19/June/2023 – Structure Fire with Injuries – “A” & “B” Shifts
A Green Pond Community (SC) home was destroyed and the occupant was injured in an early morning fire at 495 Weiss Lane Monday morning 19-June at 05:51. The adult male occupant advised he was awakened by the sound of breaking glass and discovered the older, two-story wooden structure was on fire. The man was barely able to exit the burning home. The house was well-involved but he attempted to reenter the residence to rescue his 28-year-old speaking parrot. The flames and smoke prevented him from reaching the bird and the man suffered smoke inhalation and second degree burns. The parrot perished in the fire.
He then ran 1/2 of a mile down Weiss Lane to the Balchem Plant to ask for assistance and called 9-1-1 at 05:51. Colleton County Engine 6 and Medic 6 arrived minutes later to find the two-story, wood-frame dwelling fully-involved. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed two 2-1/2″ handlines and two 1-3/4″ handlines to the building. The structure collapsed shortly after fire department units arrived.
Engine 6 requested a second alarm and directed Engine 9 to setup a water supply point by the boat landing at Joe’s Fish Camp at the nearby Ashepoo River. A tender shuttle was established for water supply using eight tenders shuttling water for several hours. Saint Paul’s Fire Department sent an engine and tender as automatic aid. Due to limited access to the home on the single-lane dirt road, a staging area was set up for tenders near Balchem.
The occupant, who was covered in ash and soot complained of difficulty breathing. He was treated at the scene by firefighter-paramedics, then transported to Colleton Medical Center in Fire-Rescue Medic 6. He suffered airway burns and was treated at CMC with advanced airway care. No helicopters could fly due to severe thunderstorms in the area. Fire-Rescue Medic 1 responded to the ED at CMC and with the CARE Flight Flightcrew, transported the man emergent to the Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta Georgia two hours away. He was in critical condition. The home was completely destroyed and the man lost all of his belongings. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Engine 6, Engine 2, Engine 9, Tender 1, Tender 2, Tender 6, Tender 9, Tender 13, Tender 22, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 6, Medic 9, Medic 13, Battalion 1, Car 111, and Car 118 responded. St Pauls FD responded an engine and tender. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy
Fire Chief
Colleton County Fire-Rescue
New Haven dock fire Long Wharf dock
05/31/23 New Haven, CT – New Haven firefighters found heavy smoke and fire involving the decking and support of the Long Wharf dock. They stretched hand lines the length of the dock to darken down the fire.
Ironically, New Haven’s fireboat is moored about seventy-five feet away and flowed water to extinguish the fire. The Freedom, an antique yacht built in 1926, was docked nearby and was briefly threatened by the fire.
Glenn Duda, Allhandsworking
