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The fire started shortly before 9 p.m. at 28 Yarwood St., Sunday, Jan. 27, caused significant damage to the single-family home, said Stratford Fire Department Deputy Chief and Fire Marshal Brian Lampart.
Fire crews arrived to find a fire within a crawl space on the second floor and attic of the three bedroom cape style home.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the attic area, however; the remainder of the home was damaged by smoke from the fire and water from the suppression activities, Lampart said.
The family said they were downstairs on the main floor when they a sound and started smelling smoke, said a neighbor who has started a fundraising effort for the family.
The family, did the right things, by grabbing the kids and fled as quickly as possible, while calling 911.
The home is owned by Jeanine Rudd, who grew up in Stratford, and her family. They are in need of funds to cover the basic needs until insurance kicks in, the fundraiser said.
The children are ages 16, 13, 9, and 2-years-old.
The cause of the fire was investigated by the Stratford Fire Marshal’s Office and was determined to be related to a failure of an exhaust fan located in the first-floor bathroom.
"The failure of the fan caused the fire to travel between floors for several minutes before being noticed by the homeowner," Lampart said.
No injuries were reported from this incident and the occupants will be displaced until the home can be repaired, he added.
Assistance for station coverage was provided by both Bridgeport and Milford Fire departments while Stratford worked the fire.
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