Fire dispatchers received notification of an automatic fire alarm coming from Scribner's Restaurant, 31 Village Road in the Woodmont section of Milford, said Milford Fire Department Battalion Chief Anthony Fabrizi.
The initial call from the alarm company was received at approximately 11:13 p.m., followed shortly by a 911 call reporting smoke coming from the building.
"Firefighting units arrived quickly to find a large volume of smoke and visible fire coming from the rear of the structure," said Fabrizi.
Fire crews aggressively deployed multiple hose lines into the building in order to suppress the blaze, he added.
Their efforts prevented the fire from spreading into three apartments located on the second floor of the building. Although firefighters managed to gain control of the blaze quickly, the majority of the structure suffered severe smoke damage.
The residents of the apartments were alerted by the fire alarm system and managed to evacuate safely prior to the arrival of emergency personnel. Two adjacent apartment buildings were also evacuated as a precaution during the fire.
Those residents were later allowed back into their units after the scene was determined to be safe.
"When a structure fire occurs, it is imperative to evacuate the residence and call 911 from outside of the building," Fabrizi said. "As a reminder...Proper functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save lives. Please check yours today."
The Milford Fire Marshal’s division is investigating the incident.
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