1 Displaced After Fire In Hamden

HAMDEN, CT — A resident was displaced after a fire started by a space heater left a home “uninhabitable” Sunday afternoon in Hamden, according to fire officials.

Crews responded to a structure fire on Smith Drive around 2:35 p.m. after dispatchers received numerous phone calls from neighbors reporting the fire, according to Hamden Fire Marshal Brian Dolan.

Firefighters arrived within three minutes of dispatch and found heavy fire coming from a rear bedroom window, Dolan said.

“The fire had spread from the bedroom to the hallway,” Dolan wrote in a news release. “Firefighters were able to bring the fire quickly under control and began overhaul operations.”

The home’s sole resident wasn’t home at the time of the fire, according to Dolan. The home sustained significant smoke damage throughout, Dolan said.

“The house is uninhabitable and the occupant is temporarily staying with family,” Dolan wrote. “The American Red Cross provided assistance at the scene to the homeowner.

“During the course of the investigation, it was determined that a space heater had been left on in the rear bedroom. The space heater ignited nearby combustibles. The Hamden Fire Marshal’s Office would like to remind residents to turn off space heaters when no one is present in the room. Space heaters should also be kept three feet away from furniture, draperies, and other combustible items.”