CT Firefighter in Critical Condition after Battling 3-Alarm Fire
By Eliza Fawcett
Source Hartford Courant
A three-alarm fire broke out at a historic building in New Hartford early Tuesday morning, displacing residents and calling in crews from 31 departments across Litchfield County to assist in fighting the blaze.
A 26-year-old Burlington firefighter experienced a “medical emergency” at the scene during the hours-long battle and was listed in critical condition at the UConn John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington later in the afternoon, officials said.
Litchfield County Dispatch received numerous calls from tenants of 4 Bridge St. around 2:26 a.m. reporting that the third floor and roof of the building were on fire, Norfolk public information officer Jon Barbagallo said. Between on-scene and stand-by units, 31 departments responded to the scene of the fire, totaling between 75 and 100 first responders.
Residents of the building include 20 adults and two children, all of whom but one were accounted for by 8:45 a.m., though Barbagallo said the final individual is believed to have been rescued. Three firefighters were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
An additional firefighter from the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department was taken to UConn Health in Farmington after experiencing a “medical emergency” at approximately 5:10 a.m. The 26-year-old firefighter is in critical condition, Fire Chief Michael Boucher said in a statement Tuesday.
Built in 1850, the three-story structure, known as the “New Hartford House,” has six businesses on its ground floor and 14 apartments on the two upper floors.
“It’s basically the town anchor for the center of New Hartford,” Barbagallo said.
Fire operations ceased later in the morning so that state and local fire marshals could begin a preliminary investigation of the site and building officials could assess the structural integrity of the building.
“The front facade is a brick facade, so that is still standing, but the wooden structure behind the facade is all collapsed,” Barbagallo said.
The American Red Cross was on the scene to help displaced tenants find temporary housing.
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