2 Fires Break Out In Manchester Within 24 Hours

MANCHESTER, CT — Manchester fire crews had to contend with two fires in two prominent areas over a 24-hour span.

At about 1:30 Thursday morning a fire broke out at the Pavilions apartment complex at 345 Buckland Hills Drive.

Fire companies encountered a bedroom ablaze on the first floor and it was quickly extinguished, officials said.

No injuries were reported, but the unit was deemed uninhabitable and four residents have been displaced, fire officials said.

At about 9:30 Friday morning, a fire broke out at the Capitol Automotive 2 dealership on Main Street.

Firefighters had to contend with an intense blaze on the single-story structure with multiple hoses and three ladder trucks, authorities said.

First-arriving firefighters encountered a "heavy volume" of flames in auto sales and repair facility, according to a report. An off duty Manchester firefighter was passing the scene at the time of the call and was able to rescue a person who was trapped behind a door, fire officials said.

The fire spread to a neighboring property at 11 Strant St., but was quickly knocked down, effectively saving that building, but one family was displaced, officials said.

Several collapses occurred at the Capitol Automotive building, officials said. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was called in to assess the impacts.