Residents of the condominium building at 140 Kane St. in West Hartford damaged by a fire last week remain displaced.

Victims of a fire at 140 Kane St. have all been released from the hospital, but the building is not yet suitable for occupancy. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

Several victims of last Thursday’s early morning fire at a multistory apartment-style condominium building in West Hartford had been transported to the burn unit at Bridgeport Hospital, but West Hartford Fire Chief Gary Allyn said all victims have now been released from the hospital.

Initial reports had indicated that nine residents were transported to the hospital, but Allyn clarified that there were actually seven injured. One of the victims was a juvenile whose parents rode with him in the ambulance.

One firefighter who also sustained minor injuries was back at work by the weekend, Allyn said.

Two pet cats succumbed to the fire, said Allyn.

Residents of 140 Kane Street have been permitted to remove essential items from their units, but the building remains uninhabitable, Allyn said. Construction work is ongoing to clear the hallways so that residents in the undamaged units can safely be allowed to return home. Two unobstructed exits routes must be available to all occupants.

The fire originated in Unit B7, Allyn confirmed, but the cause has not yet been determined. The investigation is continuing this week, and there are many people to interview, he said.

There are 40 units in the building, 39 of which were occupied. Some were owner-occupied and some were rented, Allyn said. The one vacant unit was about to be rented, he said.

Allyn said that 140 Kane St. was renovated from apartments to condominiums in the 1990s, and was compliant with code for the time with central station fire alarms in the hallways and self-closing fire doors. Sprinklers would be required if the renovation took place today, but they were not mandated at the time, he said.

“People need to pay attention to the systems that are in place,” Allyn said. “When the building fire alarm sounds, people need to react.”

At least seven or eight people had to be rescued by ladder from porches because they did not evacuate when the hallway alarm sounded early Thursday morning.

“They ignored it, and it could have been much worse,” Allyn said.

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