Two Potential Tragedies Averted in Fairfield Fire Incidents

The Fairfield Fire Department responded to several emergencies over Thanksgiving weekend, including two incidents in which missing or deactivated smoke and carbon monoxide alarms “could easily have resulted in fatalities,” according to Fire Marshal Bill Kessler.

In the first incident, at about 9 a.m. on Sunday morning, firefighters responded to a report of a possible malfunctioning CO detector in one of the condominium units at 29 Balmaha Close in the Woodfield Village Complex off Stratfield Road.

Read more from the press release below:

Upon arrival Engine 3 recorded carbon monoxide readings of 140 parts per million in the unit from which the call was received, along with measurable readings in two neighboring units which resulted in one resident being transported to St. Vincent’s Medical Center for monitoring and treatment as needed.

“That resident stated that his CO alarm had gone off in the night, but he’d disconnected the battery assuming that it had malfunctioned,” Kessler noted, “when in fact it had accurately detected high levels of carbon monoxide.”

At 12:23 a.m. the following morning the Fairfield Fire Department was dispatched to a reported basement fire at 219 Roseville Terrace; upon arrival Assistant Chief Schuyler Sherwood confirmed a working fire and called for the fifth engine along with mutual aid to Fire Headquarters and Station 2 from Westport and Bridgeport Fire Departments.

“With all occupants confirmed to be out of the structure Engine 2 initiated an aggressive interior attack,” said Sherwood, “with Engine 3 establishing a positive water supply before joining Ladder 1 on search and ventilation while Engine 1 stretched a backup line to assist with extinguishment.”

The fire was controlled by the initial interior operating companies within 20 minutes, according to Sherwood, who observed that “the rapid and professional actions of on scene crews most certainly limited the amount of fire damage to the home.”

Fire Marshal Kessler and Building Official Tom Conley were on the scene conducting the fire investigation shortly after 1 a.m. Their initial findings pointed toward conduction of heat from the fireplace that had been in operation throughout the previous day to the wooden sill plate below due to improper installation of the fireplace, but Kessler’s primary concern was for the lack of working smoke alarms despite evidence of both hardwired and battery operated installations.

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