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Police & Fire
Dog Dies In Norwalk House Fire That Displaces 2 Dog Dies In Norwalk House Fire That Displaces 2
Dog Dies In Norwalk House Fire That Displaces 2 A dog was killed in a Connecticut house fire early Thursday morning, Jan. 16, despite the efforts of firefighters and its owner, authorities said.  Firefighters were called to 17 Dairy Road in Norwalk just after midnight to find two residents desperately trying to extinguish flames to save their family dog. They received minor injuries for their efforts.  Crews rushed to help, knocking back flames from the basement spreading into the single-story home above. Norwalk firefighters found the dog amidst the chaos and ran it outside while others attacked the fire, authorities said.&nbs…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Driver, Passenger Escape Burning Car Fire In Brookfield Driver, Passenger Escape Burning Car Fire In Brookfield
Driver, Passenger Escape Burning Car Fire In Brookfield People inside a car that burst into flames on New Year's Day escaped without injury, authorities said.  Firefighters were called to Sandy Lane in Brookfield around 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday to reports of a car fire. Crews said the vehicle was completely engulfed when they arrived, but the two people inside had escaped.  Firefighters quickly contained the blaze and contained a fuel leak. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also responded to determine whether the leak had any environmental impacts.  The cause of the blaze is under investigation. 

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
6 Hospitalized Including Responders In Dramatic Icy Pond Rescue In CT: Officials 6 Hospitalized Including Responders In Dramatic Icy Pond Rescue In CT: Officials
6 Hospitalized Including Responders In Dramatic Icy Pond Rescue In CT: Officials Manchester firefighters pulled off a dramatic cold-water rescue Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 31, after an adult and two young children fell through the ice on a pond. The incident occurred at 2:11 p.m. behind 218 Hackmatack Street, according to the Manchester Fire Department. The shift commander arrived at 2:15 p.m. Crews found three victims—one adult and two children—trapped in icy water approximately 35 feet from the shore in a pond roughly six feet deep, the fire department said. Manchester Fire responded with a five-company cold-water rescue team and managed to pull all three victims t…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
'MAYDAY': Firefighters Forced Out Of Burning Southington House Before Beating Back Flames 'MAYDAY': Firefighters Forced Out Of Burning Southington House Before Beating Back Flames
'Mayday': Firefighters Forced Out Of Burning Southington House Before Beating Back Flames It was a harrowing moment for Connecticut firefighters when an early morning fire sent them scrambling to escape a burning home when conditions took a turn for the worse while they were inside, authorities said.  Firefighters were called to a house fire around 3:15 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26 at 25 Howard Ave. in Southington. A light fixture in the basement had sparked and sent flames creeping through the home. Luckily, everyone inside escaped thanks to two teen girls who smelled smoke and alerted their grandmother.  Fire crews moved quickly to put out the flames, but shortly after…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Freezing Worker Trapped In Trench Collapse Rescued By Stamford Firefighters Freezing Worker Trapped In Trench Collapse Rescued By Stamford Firefighters
Freezing Worker Trapped In Trench Collapse Rescued By Stamford Firefighters Connecticut firefighters rescued a man who was trapped after a trench he was working in collapsed, burying him in dirt up to his thighs, authorities said. Stamford firefighters were called to Hampton Lane just before 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20, where they found the man trapped. He was alert and conscious when they arrived.  Rescue crews reinforced the trench walls with panels to stabilize them before they began to dig him out, Stamford authorities said. More than 20 rescuers worked quickly, digging in the dirt with their hands to pull the freezing man to safety. Firefighters and re…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
1 Dead In Fire At CT Family-Owned Apple Orchard 1 Dead In Fire At CT Family-Owned Apple Orchard
1 Dead In Fire At CT Family-Owned Apple Orchard Firefighters found a man dead inside a Connecticut home on Friday morning, Dec. 20, following an early morning fire at a New London County family-owned orchard, authorities said.  The fire was reported shortly before 3:30 a.m. at 20 Kitemaug Road in Montville, and multiple other agencies were soon called to assist in battling the blaze, the Norwich Fire Department reported. Crews reported a partial collapse about 20 minutes later, forcing firefighters to withdraw.  Once firefighters were able to get inside they found the man — who was in his 80s— dead inside,  Authorities did…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Fire Destroys Norwalk Family's Home Week Before Christmas Fire Destroys Norwalk Family's Home Week Before Christmas
Fire Destroys Norwalk Family's Home Week Before Christmas Firefighters in Connecticut battled a fast-moving two-alarm fire this week that displaced two residents and left a Fairfield County home uninhabitable.  Crews responded to 238 Silvermine Ave. in Norwalk at 7:21 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, after reports of a house fire and evacuation efforts were underway, authorities said. Firefighters arrived to find smoke billowing from the eaves and flames pouring out of a side entrance. Norwalk Fire Department The fire began in the basement, the Norwalk firefighters said, and quickly spread to the first floor of the 2.5-story residential home. Bec…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Greenwich Fire Truck Crashes After Police Car Burns Down Greenwich Fire Truck Crashes After Police Car Burns Down
Greenwich Fire Truck Crashes After Police Car Burns Down It's been a rough few weeks for emergency vehicles in one Connecticut town.  Last month, a Greenwich Police SUV was destroyed when a brush fire engulfed the vehicle, reducing it to its metal frame. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. This week, a Greenwich fire truck responding to a call crashed on Lake Avenue. Engine 8 lost control on Thursday morning, Dec. 5, while en route to another crash caused by "wintry weather." No other vehicles were involved in the incident.  The firefighters aboard were transported to a local hospital as a precaution and have since been released.

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Brush Fire Spreads To Home; Red Flag Warning Issued For All CT Brush Fire Spreads To Home; Red Flag Warning Issued For All CT
Brush Fire Spreads To Home; Red Flag Warning Issued For All CT A small brush fire in Connecticut spread to a home in New London County in the very early morning of Saturday, Nov. 9, authorities said. The blaze comes as firefighters across the state have warned residents about dry conditions turning the landscape into a tinderbox.  Firefighters were called to a home at 90 North St. in Norwich just after 1 a.m. when a brush fire leaped onto the house, authorities said.  Related: Brush Fire Burns Through Multi-Family Home, Nearby Deck Smoke filled the home and flames damaged the outside of the house, but Norwich firefighters were able to get th…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Asst. Fire Chief Killed Crossing Newtown Street; 2nd CT Firefighter's Death In 7 Days Asst. Fire Chief Killed Crossing Newtown Street; 2nd CT Firefighter's Death In 7 Days
Asst. Fire Chief Killed Crossing Newtown Street; 2nd CT Firefighter's Death In 7 Days Fewer than eight hours after the Connecticut firefighting community buried Robert Sharkevich Sr., another senior firefighter was killed in Fairfield County, officials said.  Peter Blomberg, age 72, was crossing Route 6 near Dayton Street in Newtown when a truck crashed into him around 6:15 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29, authorities said.  Blomberg served as the assistant fire chief of the Botsford Fire Department and was walking to a fire commission meeting In Newtown when he was hit, police said. Paramedics rushed him to Danbury Hospital, but doctors could not save Blomberg's life.&nbs…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Hundreds Take Part In Funeral For Firefighter Killed Battling Blaze: 'He Had Heart Of Gold' Hundreds Take Part In Funeral For Firefighter Killed Battling Blaze: 'He Had Heart Of Gold'
Hundreds Take Part In Funeral For Firefighter Killed Battling Blaze: 'He Had Heart Of Gold' Mourners lined the roads leading to the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford on Monday, Oct. 28, to pay their respects to Robert "Sharkey" Sharkevich Sr. His casket was carried by a fire engine that was preceded by a cadre of police vehicles. His casket, draped in an American flag, was carried to its final resting place by his family and the firefighters who served alongside him.  Sharkevich Sr., age 66, was a lifelong firefighter. He served with the Hartford Fire Department for 25 years and the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years.  Related Re…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Firefighter Killed In ATV Crash ID'd: 'Words Cannot Express The Magnitude Of This Loss' Firefighter Killed In ATV Crash ID'd: 'Words Cannot Express The Magnitude Of This Loss'
Firefighter Killed In ATV Crash ID'd: 'Words Cannot Express The Magnitude Of This Loss' A Connecticut firefighter who was killed when the ATV he was on rolled over while battling a blaze has been identified as a grandfather and former member of the Hartford Fire Department.  Robert "Sharky" Sharkevich Sr., age 66, was working as a member of the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday, Oct. 22, fighting a brush fire that had spread to more than 90 acres on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, Meriden Police said.  Sharkevich and three other firefighters were in Meriden on the southern edge of the blaze, riding a firefighting ATV that flipped around 5:30 p.m.…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
'Heart Full Of Kindness': State Police Chaplain Killed In Crash Remembered For His Compassion 'Heart Full Of Kindness': State Police Chaplain Killed In Crash Remembered For His Compassion
'Heart Full Of Kindness': State Police Chaplain Killed In Crash Remembered For His Compassion Dr. Rev. Paul Krampitz didn't look like a preacher, but his friends and colleagues said he was built for it.   Middlesex County resident Paul Krampitz, age 65, of Cromwell, was killed Thursday, Sept. 18, when a car crashed into his Harley Davidson motorcycle around 4:15 p.m. near Exit 33 on Route 9 in Berlin, Connecticut State Police said. Paramedics rushed him to New Britain Hospital, where he died of his injuries.  The crash is under investigation.  Krampitz, who went by the nickname Styx, was the Connecticut State Police chaplain, a preacher at Be…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
CT Man Accused Of Setting His Home On Fire CT Man Accused Of Setting His Home On Fire
CT Man Accused Of Setting His Home On Fire A 27-year-old Connecticut man is facing arson charges after police say he started a fire at his home earlier this year, causing a massive police and firefighter response, authorities said.  Former Middlesex County resident James Jones, 27, of East Hampton, was arrested last month after investigators linked him to a house fire on March 19, East Hampton Police said.  Police, paramedics, and firefighters were called to a two-alarm fire at 46 School House Lane on Tuesday, March 19.  After an investigation, police believe that the fire was intentionally set.  Jones was unde…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Person Found Dead After House Fire Breaks Out In Quiet CT Neighborhood Person Found Dead After House Fire Breaks Out In Quiet CT Neighborhood
Person Found Dead After House Fire Breaks Out In Quiet CT Neighborhood One person was killed, and another escaped, along with a dog, during a fire at a single-family home in a quiet Connecticut neighborhood. New Update - Fatal Middlefield House Fire: Elementary School Student ID'd As Victim The incident occurred in Middlesex County around 1 a.m., Friday, Sept. 6, on Dwight Drive in Middlefield. According to Middlefield Fire Chief Peter Tyc, the first arriving crews encountered heavy fire. The entire front of the home was engulfed in flames, and one person was reported inside the house. Firefighters initiated an aggressive fire attack and search for th…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Firefighter Hurt, Family Left Homeless After Fairfield County Fire Firefighter Hurt, Family Left Homeless After Fairfield County Fire
Firefighter Hurt, Family Left Homeless After Fairfield County Fire Connecticut fire investigators are looking into what sparked a house fire that left a family of five homeless and a firefighter injured.  The blaze began in Fairfield County around 8:20 p.m. at a house in the 40 block of Alpine Street in Bridgeport, authorities said.  Firefighters battled the flames for hours before they got it under control. Though it wasn't before the fire had gutted the home, authorities said. Luckily, the family escaped before they were hurt.  A firefighter was not as lucky. They were injured while working at the home. Authorities did not release the inj…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Driver Jumps Out Of Passing Car To Help Resident Who Escaped From CT House Fire Driver Jumps Out Of Passing Car To Help Resident Who Escaped From CT House Fire
Driver Jumps Out Of Passing Car To Help Resident Who Escaped From CT House Fire A Connecticut resident received heavy burns to his head and face while escaping from his burning home. The incident occurred in New Haven County on Lynn Terrace around 6 p.m., Thursday, in Seymour. According to Seymour Fire Marshal Timothy Willis, when firefighters arrived, they found the home fully engulfed in flames and an injured resident who had "self-evacuated." Willis said a Good Samaritan had jumped out of a passing car to help neighbors get the man in his 60s to the ambulance. The unidentified man was transported to the Bridgeport Hospital Burn Unit. His condition was not known on…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Multiple Vehicles Burst Into Flames At Stamford Parking Lot Multiple Vehicles Burst Into Flames At Stamford Parking Lot
Multiple Vehicles Burst Into Flames At Stamford Parking Lot Fire officials are investigating after several vehicles were found on fire at a parking lot and storage area for a local towing company in Fairfield County. The incident occurred in Stamford around 10:25 a.m., Saturday, June 22, in the area of 400 Fairfield Ave. According to Capt. Philip Hayes of the Stamford Fire Department, the West Side Fire Station, arrived at the scene and found a fire involving several vehicles inside the parking lot and storage area. Due to the size and location of the parking lot, there was no threat to the adjacent buildings. Firefighters immediately went to work …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
1 Teen Killed, 4 Seriously Injured In Fiery Overnight CT Crash 1 Teen Killed, 4 Seriously Injured In Fiery Overnight CT Crash
1 Teen Killed, 4 Seriously Injured In Fiery Overnight CT Crash One teenager was killed, another was airlifted to the hospital with critical injuries, and three others were seriously injured in a single-vehicle crash in Connecticut. Click here for a new, updated story: IDs Released By Family In Fatal Wolcott Crash That Killed 1 Teen, Injured 3 Others It happened in New Haven County, in the town of Wolcott, around 10 p.m. Saturday, June 1. The Wolcott Police Department said it received a report that a vehicle had gone off the road and struck a tree in the area of 734 Spindle Hill Rd.  While en route to the scene, dispatch notified respondin…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Off-Duty Firefighter From Fairfield County Helps Rescue Family From Apartment Fire Off-Duty Firefighter From Fairfield County Helps Rescue Family From Apartment Fire
Off-Duty Firefighter From Fairfield County Helps Rescue Family From Apartment Fire A firefighter from Fairfield County is being praised for his heroic actions after he helped rescue residents from a burning apartment while off-duty. Greenwich firefighter Doug Howley saw a fire in a New Haven County apartment complex on Meriden Road in Waterbury while he was driving to a birthday party on Saturday, March 26, Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary said. He rushed to assist with the evacuation and saw a father and daughter trying to escape the second-floor apartment where the fire broke out. The father lowered his daughter into Howley's arms shortly before Waterbury firefighters arri…

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Apartment Fire Breaks Out In Fairfield County Apartment Fire Breaks Out In Fairfield County
Apartment Fire Breaks Out In Fairfield County A mother and her child were evacuated by firefighters from their Fairfield County apartment after a fire broke out in their master bedroom, according to officials.  Norwalk firefighters said they responded to the Avalon Apartments on Belden Avenue at approximately 9:12 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15 with four engines, two trucks, a rescue team and a command vehicle.  A small fire in the master bedroom of the two-bedroom apartment was reportedly held in check by the apartment's sprinkler system, then extinguished by responding firefighters, the Norwalk Fire Department said.  The m…

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by Christina Coulter
Police & Fire
One Rescued Before Vehicle Bursts Into Flames On Merritt Parkway One Rescued Before Vehicle Bursts Into Flames On Merritt Parkway
One Rescued Before Vehicle Bursts Into Flames On Merritt Parkway One person who was trapped in a vehicle following a single-vehicle crash on the Merritt Parkway was extricated by firefighters. Another person in the vehicle was able to climb out following the Fairfield County crash around 8:30 p.m., Sunday, June 7, near Exit 42 in Westport. ​According to the Westport Fire Department,  the first arriving fire unit found the vehicle on its roof in the left lane of the highway.  Fire personnel checked the vehicle and found a single person was trapped in the vehicle.  Firefighters deployed a protective hose line and began to set up for extric…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Lightning Eyed As Cause In Norwalk Commercial Building Fire Lightning Eyed As Cause In Norwalk Commercial Building Fire
Lightning Eyed As Cause In Norwalk Commercial Building Fire A fire broke out at a commercial building when a severe thunderstorm possibly caused a shed to catch fire in Norwalk. The blaze began in the basement of a two-story building at 20 Broad Street, at 3:30 a.m. Thursday, July 18, the Norwalk Fire Department said. Responders quickly extinguished fire, but a moderate smoke condition filled the building that houses several businesses, according to the fire department. The city firefighters stayed on scene until 5 a.m. to ventilate the building, said the Norwalk Fire Department. Firefighters were on scene till 5:00 am, ventilating the building. …

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by Donna Christopher
Police & Fire
New Fire Marshal Named In Danbury New Fire Marshal Named In Danbury
New Fire Marshal Named In Danbury Danbury Mayor Mark D. Boughton has officially named a new Fire Marshal for the city. Deputy Fire Marshal Terence Timan was promoted to the Fire Marshal position Thursday, March 7. He has been with the department since July of 2004, when he was hired as a firefighter and was promoted to Deputy Fire Marshal in January 2016. DFM Timan holds an Associate’s Degree in Fire Technology and Administration. He is currently working toward his Bachelor’s degree and has received a variety of Academic and service awards, such as: Outstanding Student Award Academic Achievement Award Dean’s List placemen…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Pair Of Two-Alarm Fires Includes Blaze At Restaurant In Danbury Pair Of Two-Alarm Fires Includes Blaze At Restaurant In Danbury
Pair Of Two-Alarm Fires Includes Blaze At Restaurant In Danbury Firefighters responded to two separate two-alarm fires within just a few hours, one of which occurred at a Danbury restaurant. Emergency units were dispatched to Bells Place to put out a structure fire Sunday, Dec. 23 shortly after 6 p.m. Upon arriving, Engine Company 22 showed visible smoke and confirmed other signs of a working fire. An investigation revealed that the fire had started in the basement of the end unit in a six-unit building and had also extended into the adjacent unit. Though nobody was injured, Red Cross was requested to the scene to help the 24 residents who were displace…

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by Valerie Musson