West Hartford firefighters extinguished a structure fire at a single family home on Birch Hill Drive on Tuesday afternoon. [Updated, April 3, 5:30 p.m.]
West Hartford Fire Department on the scene of a fire on Birch Hill Drive. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
By Ronni Newton
A single family home on Birch Hill Drive in West Hartford sustained significant damage after a blaze broke out Tuesday afternoon, but firefighters were able to extinguish the fire shortly after arrival and one person who was in the home was evacuated without injury.
According to Deputy Chief Eric Munsell, dispatchers received notice from an alarm company at 4:23 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, that a fire alarm was going off a the residence.
Dispatchers received other calls made to 911 with reports of smoke and fire visible coming from the structure, Munsell said, and one caller told dispatchers that he saw a woman being assisted out of the home.
West Hartford firefighters extinguished a fire in a single family home on Birch Hill Drive on April 2. Photo credit: Gerald Nadeau
Gerald Nadeau, a neighborhood resident, told We-Ha.com that he was walking his dog in the area when he saw smoke and called the police to report a suspected fire.
Nadeau said as he got closer to the residence he saw the active fire, and saw a white van parked in front of the home. The driver of that van was in the process of assisting an occupant evacuate the home that was on fire, and Nadeau said he ran over and also assisted the female resident, who was then brought to another neighbor’s house. At the time Nadeau didn’t know the name of the driver of the van who provided the initial assistance, but on Wednesday the driver, Joshua Henry of Taylormade Construction LLC who was working on a home renovation in the neighborhood, returned and shared his story.
Henry said retired from the Hartford Fire Department (Engine 2) about 4½ years ago. He was driving down Birch Hill Drive when he said he saw black smoke coming from a house. While white smoke could be coming from a fireplace, “black smoke is bad,” he told We-Ha.com. Henry said he pulled over and ran to the front door where he found the occupant heading in that direction. He said he was helping her out of the door, and then Nadeau ran over and assisted her. It was raining at the time, and neighbor next door came outside and kindly invited everyone to take shelter in her house, Henry said.
West Hartford Fire Department on the scene of a fire on Birch Hill Drive. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Crews arrived within seven minutes of the initial call, and Car 4 arrived first, Munsell said, and reported fire visible from the upper floor of the structure. Firefighters confirmed that there were no other occupants of the residence.
Crews from Engine 2 stretched a hose line into the house, and additional units arrived and put a second hose line into place. The roof was ventilated, and Munsell said the fire was knocked down within six minutes of the first unit arriving on the scene.
All active West Hartford Fire Department units responded, along with the UConn Fire Department. Departments from Hartford, New Britain, and Newington provided mutual aid to the rest of the town while units were on the scene.
West Hartford Fire Department on the scene of a fire on Birch Hill Drive. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
American Medical Response and a West Hartford Fire Department paramedic evaluated the occupant who had been inside the home when the fire started, and it was determined that patient transport was not required, Munsell said. West Hartford Police also assisted in caring for the occupant, and in traffic control while the road was shut down.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation by the West Hartford Fire Marshal’s office and the State of Connecticut, but Munsell said the heaviest fire damage occurred in an upper floor bedroom in the front of the house.
The Red Cross will also be providing assistance to the occupant with temporary shelter and other needs.
No responders were injured, and the West Hartford Fire Department expressed its thanks to all who provided assistance.
West Hartford Fire Department on the scene of a fire on Birch Hill Drive. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
West Hartford firefighters extinguished a fire in a single family home on Birch Hill Drive on April 2. Photo credit: Gerald Nadeau
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