Car Fire Extinguished At Gas Station: Fairfield Fire Department

FAIRFIELD, CT — A potential tragedy was averted when Fairfield firefighters quickly extinguished a fire of a car heavily engulfed in flames within 50 feet from the gas pumps at a gas station early Sunday morning.

Firefighters responded to the Cumberland Farms, located at 975 Kings Highway East, at about 5:20 a.m. on Sunday on the report of a car fire next to the gas pumps.

Upon arrival, the fire department found a car heavily involved and approximately 50 feet from the gas pumps, according to Assistant Chief Schuyler Sherwood.

Sherwood said the gas station operator had activated the extinguishing system prior to the fire department’s arrival. However, the automatic extinguishing system did not extinguish the fire.

The fire department was able to keep the fire from extending to the gas pumps and was able to extinguish the fire without incident or injury, according to Sherwood.

Sherwood said the operator of the vehicle was on scene and told officials that while operating his car on the highway he had observed smoke and flames in the interior of the car and pulled off the highway.

“The outcome of this incident would have been much worse if the car was closer to the pumps and was not extinguished as rapidly as it was,” Sherwood said.

Fairfield Fire Department Engine 2, Engine 3, Engine 4, Engine 1, Rescue 1, Ladders 2, and Car 3, all responded to the 911 call, according to Sherwood.

Photo courtesy of the Fairfield Fire Department