2 Cars Destroyed, Cat Killed, In Monroe Garage Fire: FD

MONROE, CT — Local firefighters tackled a "heavy fire" in a garage on Friday. The occupants got out without injuries, but a cat perished in the blaze.

Stepney, Monroe and Stevenson volunteer firefighters got the call shortly before 6:00 a.m. First responders to the house fire on Birchwood Lane found a heavy fire in the garage located underneath the ranch-style home. Firefighters deployed three attack hose lines and were able to prevent the fire from spreading into the living areas of the home.

Two vehicles were destroyed and the garage sustained significant fire damage, while the rest of the home sustained smoke damage. The house was also equipped with working smoke alarms. The Monroe fire marshal believes the cause was a lightning strike involving a dog fence wire, and credited the resident for keeping the door closed between the garage and lower level family room, limiting the fire spread.

According to their report, torrential rains and roadway flooding posed a challenge for crews driving to the fire, which was located near the Newtown border off of Hattertown Road