New Year's Day Fire Damages Stamford Apartment Building: SFD

STAMFORD, CT — An early morning fire on New Year's Day damaged an apartment building in the Springdale neighborhood of Stamford, which prompted the American Red Cross to step in and assist a resident, according to the Stamford Fire Department.

Shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, the Stamford 911 dispatch center received multiple calls about a fire in a multi-unit residence located in the 140 block of Columbus Place, Stamford fire officials said in a news release.

Firefighters from the Springdale Fire Station were first to arrive and found fire coming from the front door of the third-floor apartment.

Units worked to quickly extinguish the fire and ventilate heavy smoke from the building by cutting the roof of the three-story building, fire officials said.

The occupant of the third-floor apartment was able to self-evacuate, and firefighters and Stamford police officers helped evacuate the remaining residents. No injuries were reported during the incident, the SFD said.

Fire officials said the apartment where the fire originated was extensively damaged by fire, smoke and water, and the two apartments below sustained water damage.

The Red Cross said in a news release it provided resources to the third-floor resident, including a comfort kit containing personal care items such as toothbrushes, deodorant, shaving supplies and other essential items someone might need when suddenly displaced from their home by a fire.

Overall, 35 firefighters and support staff responded to the fire, the SFD noted.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Stamford Fire Marshal's Office.