Fairfield Firefighters Douse Blaze At Own Station House

FAIRFIELD, CT — Even firefighters can have "accidents."

On Thursday evening, Fairfield firefighters were returning from a call, when they had to be dispatched to a place they know very well... fire headquarters (Station #1) on Reef Road.

According to Fire Chief Denis McCarthy, Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Chief Phil Higgins called in a fire at the station house just before 6 p.m., after he was alerted to the blaze by a heat detector in the building's kitchen.

The source of the fire? A frying pan burning on the stove. No injuries were reported.

Higgins and firefighter Brendan Murray used a fire extinguisher to douse the blaze before firefighters arrived. Murray happened to stop by the firehouse minutes before to pick up supplies for a Career Night presentation he was on his way to deliver to the Key Club at Wakeman Boys and Girls Club.

"When firefighters arrived on-scene a few minutes later, they reported heavy smoke coming from the rear of the building," McCarthy said in a statement. "After ensuring that the fire was out, firefighters used large fans to clear the smoke condition, then checked for extension. The fire damage was contained to the pan, with some minor extension to the wooden cabinet above the stove. The heat damage melted the plastic blinds covering the windows, and the heavy smoke damaged the walls and contents of the kitchen. The entire area was blanketed with the dry powder extinguishing agent contained in the 20-pound fire extinguisher used to put out the fire."

According to a quick investigation by Higgins, it was determined the fire was "accidental," due to firefighters leaving a pan of oil on a burner that was still lit.

The firefighters had been preparing breaded chicken fillets for parmigiana, and kept getting called out for alarms. So, usually when they left the station, they removed the fillets and turned off the burner, except before the last call when they left the burner on.

"Tonight’s cause was determined rather quickly," Higgins said in a statement. "It was 'accidental' and accidents happen. Just because we’re firefighters, that does not mean we are immune from them happening to us. Just like any other fire in town, after the fire is out, we pick up and go back to service. We try to learn from each incident how to prevent them from happening, and how to minimize damage from fires we could not prevent. In this case, there are many lessons to be learned."

Fairfield fire officials offered the following tips to help avoid a similar situation:

As we enter the holiday season, with Thanksgiving just a few short weeks away, we hope that everyone can learn from our kitchen fire. Accidents happen, and when they do it is important to stay calm and take immediate action. Here a few steps to follow if you have a kitchen fire:

• Don't leave cooking unattended.
• In case of fire call 911 immediately

If the fire is small and manageable consider the following:

• Keep a lid to cover the pot handy in case of a small fire.
• Use a fire extinguisher or a fire blanket to extinguish small fires.
• Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
• Never let the fire get between you and the exit.

If the fire is small and you decide to use a fire extinguisher, remember to use the P.A.S.S system:

• Pull the Pin
• Aim the hose at the base of the fire.
• Squeeze the handle on the fire extinguisher.
• Sweep from side to side as you extinguish.

If the fire is in an oven or microwave – DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN OR MICROWAVE DOOR.
If you're unsure about your ability to control the fire, evacuate and let your firefighters handle it. Be sure you have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors that are tested monthly.

Develop an emergency evacuation plan for your home and identify a meeting place for you and your family. Practice the plan so that everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency! Familiarize yourself with the location of fire extinguishers and identify emergency exits. Nobody plans on having a kitchen fire, but when they happen, it’s important to have a plan. From our kitchen to yours, have a safe and happy holiday season!