West Stafford House Fire Deemed Total Loss

STAFFORD CT — West Stafford fire officials on Thursday were calling a blaze on Handel Road a total loss in a preliminary assessment.

The fire at the 1,512-square-foot home at 89 Handel Road was reported at 12:54 a.m. on Wednesday.

West Stafford Fire Chief Joe Lorenzetti said the vacant dwelling was engulfed in flames when he he arrived.

"When I got there, the only thing remaining was the stud wall. The house had already collapsed into the basement," Lorenzetti said.

Fighting the fire was a challenge, he said, because the driveway is about 2,000 feet long and narrow, so trucks could only go down one at a time.

The home, situated on 2.26 acres with a thickly wooded frontage, is set far back on the property, he said. The Cape Cod style home was built in 2007, according to Stafford assessor's office records.

Fire Crews from Crystal Lake, Ellington and Somers, also responded to the scene.

Lorenzetti said Deputy Fire Marshal Mark Morrison is leading the investigation in collaboration with the state fire marshal's office.

Photo Credit: Google Maps