Community Rallies Around Families Displaced By Fire In Hamden

HAMDEN, CT — The community is rallying around the families that were displaced from their home after Monday night’s three-alarm fire that destroyed a 22-unit apartment building at 42 Warner Street in Hamden.

Mayor Lauren Garrett said in an update Wednesday that 60 residents are “without homes and their personal belongings were destroyed.”

Garrett said the Clarion Inn has been an “amazing community partner, and through our partnership, all families were provided rooms.”

“The managers, Brian and Megan, came to Keefe Monday night to help place people,” Garrett said in a news release. “Councilman Abdul Osmanu was on hand last night to help gather food for people, while Councilman Adrian Webber and State Representative Robyn Porter helped collect requests for clothes and supplies.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Fire Marshal Brian Dolan told the New Haven Register that the fire is believed to have started in one unit. Dolan said several pets that were living in that unit, including a dog, rabbit, two bearded dragons and two tanks’ worth of fish, are believed to have died in the fire, according to the Register. The owners weren’t home at the time of the fire.

The Register reported that firefighters did manage to rescue two dogs from the fire and reunite them with their owners.

Garrett announced Tuesday night that the town has put a secure donation link on the town website, so "we can come together as a community of support" for the families affected by the fire. Visit the link here.

The town also compiled the following list of requests for specific items the affected families need:

Gently used/new clothes, all sizes; specifically:

2T clothes

3T clothes

Medium sweatpants

7/8 pants

14/16 pants

32/30 pants

32 pants

Gently used/new jackets and hoodies, all sizes; specifically:

XXXXL jacket

New underwear and socks; specifically:

Boxers, sizes large-XXL

Underwear, sizes 2T-XXXL

New footwear; specifically:

Size 7 toddler shoes

Size 7.5 shoes

Size 8 shoes

Size 9 ½ shoes

Size 10 shoes

Size 11 shoes

Hygiene items; specifically:

Wipes

Diapers

Pull ups

Floss

Tampons

Pads

Body Wash

Deodorant

Other Items:

Art supplies

New toys for ages 2-12

Apple phone chargers

Snack food

Water

Juice boxes

Gift cards

Anyone wishing to make a donation can drop the items off at the Keefe Community Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Friday, Feb. 18. Items can also be dropped off between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at the Clarion Hotel, 2260 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Items will be given out on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

“It meant so much to me to see these families Monday night at the fire and then as they were being processed by Community Services and the Red Cross at Keefe,” Garrett said. “I stopped by Keefe again yesterday as more people came through, and we went to the Clarion Inn yesterday evening.

“We are doing everything we can to help them get back on their feet. My heart goes out to the families impacted by the fire.”

For more information, contact AnneMarie Karavas in Community Services at Keefe Community Center at 203-562-5129 ext. 1110 or email AKaravas@Hamden.com.