1 Dead In Multi-Alarm Fire Which Destroys Somers House [UPDATE]

SOMERS, CT — One person is confirmed dead following a raging fire that consumed the rear portion of a house on a Somers cul-de-sac.

The 2,278 square foot Colonial at 60 Juniper Hill Drive, off Gulf Road, went up in flames around 6:28 p.m., and mutual aid was requested from several neighboring towns to battle the 2-alarm blaze.

Bob Garlick, who lives next door, told Patch he was grilling on his back porch with his brother-in-law when he saw flames shooting through the basement area. He also said there was several explosions. He told his wife to call 911 while he rushed to the scene.

"I ran next door and started hollering 'fire' and helped get people out," Garlick said.

State police said one occupant of the house did not survive the fire. The body of the deceased person, who has not yet been identified pending notification of family, was removed during the overnight hours by the office of the Chief State Medical Examiner.

Two firefighters were transported to a hospital with minor injuries, fire officials said.

The Somers Fire Marshal and State Fire Marshal are currently investigating the cause of the blaze.

This is the fifth fire-related death in Connecticut since last Saturday. Late Saturday night, two brothers, Karl Maseizik, 54, and Chris "Bubs" Maseizik, 53, and Nanci N. Southwell, 71, of 63 O'Neill Road in Oxford, were found dead in their home after they were trapped inside the home. The cause of the Oxford triple-fatal fire remains under investigation. A person was also killed in a fire in Killingly early Thursday morning.

Original Story

SOMERS, CT — A 2-alarm fire has destroyed a house at 60 Juniper Hill Road, with firefighters from neighboring towns being called in to assist "a defensive operation," according to the Tolland Alert Twitter page.

Commanders at the scene reported a "fully involved structure fire," according to Tolland Alert.

State police reported one person "is unaccounted for."

Juniper Hill Road is a cul-de-sac off Gulf Road, a long street which runs from Route 190 into the western edge of Stafford.

Fire officials and state police closed Gulf Road from Route 190 to Mountain View Road as emergency personnel battled the blaze.