Within the span of less than two hours, the West Hartford Fire Department extinguished two blazes in multifamily residential structures.

 By Ronni Newton

Units from the West Hartford Fire Department battled two separate blazes in residential buildings on Wednesday, and both are under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office, officials said.

There were no injuries in the first fire, but one person was transported to an area hospital for treatment of burn injury resulting from the second blaze.

Wednesday’s first incident was reported at 11:29 a.m., as a kitchen fire at a 41 Court Park, which is located off Park Road, Assistant Chief Hugh O’Callaghan said.

Units arrived in less than four minutes, and the first arriving officer, Capt. Matthews, “reported smoke and fire showing from the second floor” of the multi-family residence, O’Callaghan said.

At the request of Battalion Chief Mark Bassett, additional units and American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance was called.

The fire was knocked down through “an aggressive, well-coordinated interior attack by the first engine and ladder truck,” O’Callaghan said.

A search by crews confirmed that all occupants had safely evacuated without injury.

Firefighters did safely rescue a tenant’s dog. Toby “was carried to safety and was found to be unharmed,” firefighters said in a Facebook post.

Two apartments were damaged by smoke, water, or fire, O’Callaghan said, and the Red Cross and West Hartford Social Services are providing assistance to the residents.

O’Callaghan offered thanks to West Hartford Police, Eversource, and AMR for their assistance.

Less than two hours later, at 1:10 p.m., units responded to a  report of smoke coming from a structure on Starkel Road in Bishops Corner, O’Callaghan said.

Police and fire units arrived by 1:14 p.m., and found “heavy smoke coming from a multi-family residence,” O’Callaghan said.

Crews began a thorough search of the residence for occupants, and at the same time began fire suppression operations.

Officials learned later that the occupant fled when the fire was detected.

AMR, along with a West Hartford Fire Department paramedic, transported one person, an adult occupant, to an area hospital for treatment of a burn injury. Further information about the individual or extent of the injury was not provided.

Battalion Chief Bassett reported that the Starkel Road fire was under control by 1:22 p.m.

“A special thank you to our public safety partners (police and dispatch) for providing us with great information while responding to this incident and closing the street so that we were able to perform our duties safely,” O’Callaghan said. 

The Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating both incidents.

Wednesday’s fires are actually the second and third structure fires this week. On Monday, crews battled a blaze that started as a brush fire and spread to the deck and siding of a residence on Westfield Road.

 

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