A fire in a single-family home on Elmfield Street in West Hartford is under investigation. 

Fire engulfs a home on Elmfield Street in West Hartford Saturday night. Photo courtesy of Kevin Vanderpool

By Ronni Newton

A fire in a single-family home on Elmfield Street in West Hartford late Saturday night has claimed the life of one person, Fire Chief Greg Priest said.

According to Priest, there were four individuals in the house when the fire occurred, and three were able to evacuate on their own. At least one of those individuals was being evaluated at a local hospital, he said.

No further details were available regarding the individuals who were in the home when the fire occurred, and it is not known if they all resided there.

According to Priest, a resident of Elmfield Street called 911 at 9:52 p.m. reporting “heavy fire condition inside their residence.”

Priest said the first apparatus arrived at 9:57 p.m. and found significant fire condition, and were also told that at least one or possibly two people  were trapped inside the residence.

Priest said that while multiple fire crews immediately began to extinguish the heavy fire, others searched the interior of the residence for the missing occupant.

“The first of two companies located a victim in the first floor with non-survivable injuries and extricated that person,” Priest said. He said the victim was presumed dead at the scene.

The rest of the family had self-extricated, he said.

The fire was extinguished by 10:10 p.m., Priest said.

All on-duty West Hartford fire companies responded to the scene, in addition to American Medical Response and the West Hartford Police Department. The Hartford Fire Department and UConn Fire Department provided back-up coverage for the town.

West Hartford Police, the Fire Marshal’s Office, and the state Police Fire Investigation and Explosion Unit will be assisting in the investigation, Priest said. He said there was no determination at this time of the cause of the blaze, but there was no reason to believe there was any foul play.

The Red Cross will be assisting those impacted by the fire.

“I’d like to offer condolences to those who may be affected by this loss,” Priest said.

West Hartford Fire Department on the scene of a fatal house fire on Elmfield Street Jan.23, 2021. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Fire Department on the scene of a fatal house fire on Elmfield Street Jan.23, 2021. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Fire Department on the scene of a fatal house fire on Elmfield Street Jan.23, 2021. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Fire Chief Greg Priest. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

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