4 Injured, Dog Dies In Fire At Middletown Apartment Complex

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Four people were injured and a dog died in a fire that heavily damaged an apartment building in the Westfield section of Middletown on Thursday, according to multiple reports, including NBC Connecticut. The fire occurred at a 24-unit apartment complex on Town Colony Drive late Thursday morning.

The Hartford Courant reports that a firefighter from the South Fire District suffered a minor neck injury after a ceiling collapsed in the building and was hospitalized.

Two people were treated for smoke inhalation and one person was treated for a wrist injury, according to NBC Connecticut. At least 10 pets were rescued from the fire.

The American Red Cross is assisting 11 families, 25 adults and 10 children, who were displaced as a result of the fire, officials said on Friday.

Multiple fire departments responded to the scene and did an “incredible job,” according to Middletown Mayor Dan Drew.

“Many others provided mutual aid covering the rest of Middletown while Westfield, MFD, SFD, and other departments were battling the fire,” Drew wrote in a post on Facebook. “Thank you to them all. And a special thank you to the Middletown firefighters who today rescued several people and dogs from within adjacent units who couldn't get out because of heavy smoke. They are heroes.”

The Westfield Fire Department wrote about a summary of the incident on Facebook on Thursday night. Read it below:

“Around 11:15 this morning the Westfield Fire Department was alerted to the reported structure fire in the Town Colony apartments. Westfield Engine 2 and Westfield Ladder 6 staffed by the department's day crew responded to the location. Upon arrival first due in truck Westfield 2 found fire through the roof and command requested a 2nd alarm. Westfield 2 established its own water supply and began hitting the fire with the deck gun and stretched a handline to begin an aggressive interior attack on the fire. Middletown E3 established a secondary water supply and stretched a 2nd handline on the fire. Westfield 6 and South District T34 set up to establish master stream and all crews were evacuated from the building due to the roof starting to collapse. SFD T43 and W6 began a defensive attack with master stream operations. T34 identified a party in distress on the third floor of the building and command had crews from MFD and WFD enter the structure and made multiple successful rescues of people and pets throughout the building. Thank you to all the mutual aid departments who responded to help assist us and the Westfield District. Job well done.”

Read more at NBC Connecticut here and the Hartford Courant here.

Photos via Mayor Dan Drew on Facebook