2 Fires Doused In Naugatuck, Fire Officials Say

NAUGATUCK, CT — Firefighters battled separate fires Thursday in Naugatuck, one at the Veola waste water treatment plant, and a Kentucky Fried Chicken, according to officials. No injuries were reported.

The waste water treatment fire on Cherry Street Extension "was burning oil which was contained in a large furnace on the 2nd floor."

Firefighters were able to allow the fire to self-extinguish with no damage to the building or contents near the furnace, according to officials.

But firefighters at the facility were not finished, while monitoring the furnace at the plant, they discovered another small fire on the fourth floor.

"Oil and residual waste from the furnace had ignited a vent pipe gasket and insulation," officials said. "Additional fire crews responded to extinguish the pipe fire. The fire did not spread from the vent pipe, however it was extremely difficult for water to reach several sections of the pipe."

The call for the KFC fire on Bridge Street came in while crews were still at the treatment facility. Waterbury firefighters assisted Naugatuck crews with this blaze.

"The KFC fire was a grease fire in the deep fat fryer and was contained to the cooking area," officials said.

In addition to Waterbury, firefighters from Beacon Falls and Prospect provided coverage in Naugatuck, and the Middlebury Fire Department provided a special nozzle that helped Naugatuck firefighters reach up inside the pipe to extinguish the fire at Veola.