Two More West Hartford Residential Fires Reported Tuesday Night: WHFD

WEST HARTFORD, CT — On the same night West Hartford firefighters met with folks living in two neighborhoods that saw recent residential fires, they also had to tend to two more fires.

Tuesday night's blazes made it four significant fires in less than a week.

Edgemere Avenue Fire

According to the West Hartford Fire Department, a home on Edgemere Avenue was heavily damaged by fire and deemed uninhabitable Tuesday night.

Thankfully, the WHFD reported, all occupants got out and all pets were also saved.

Fire officials said West Hartford Public Safety Dispatch first received a report of a fire inside the Edgemere Avenue home's laundry room at about 7:49 p.m. Tuesday.

As a result, West Hartford Fire was dispatched along with the West Hartford Police Department.

The WHFD said a police officer who arrived first reported that flames were visible from the outside at about 7:53 p.m.

According to the WHFD, heavy fire was discovered on the second floor, prompting the deputy chief to call it a working fire, bringing additional units to the scene from West Hartford and mutual aid partners.

Units from Hartford, Newington and the University of Connecticut were on standby while West Hartford units were on scene. In addition, American Medical Response was on the scene.

Fire officials said all occupants, including pets, were reported to have escaped and that was confirmed by a search.

The fire was deemed to be under control at 8:25 p.m. and no injuries were reported to occupants or the responders.

WHFD officials said the residence was deemed uninhabitable by the West Hartford Building Official and the Red Cross is aiding the occupants.

"Working with the property owner, the occupants will be provided alternate housing," WHFD Chief Greg Priest said in a release.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the West Hartford Fire Marshal’s office.

Farmington Avenue Kitchen Blaze

But the Edgemere Avenue fire wasn't the only one to hit West Hartford Tuesday evening.

Priest said, while crews battled that blaze, a second fire was reported on Farmington Avenue.

This, he said, was described as "food on fire on a stove," with heavy smoke in a third-floor apartment.

The mutual aid units who had been called in for standby were dispatched, Priest said.

A WHFD deputy chief and one of the WHFD apparatus was able to leave Edgemere Avenue for Farmington Avenue.

Units arriving at Farmington Avenue determined a small kitchen fire had been extinguished but there was still a smoke condition that required ventilation.

Priest said the night's events show the importance of mutual aid for any community.

"While departments are often asked why we contact mutual aid early to merely standby when fire units are at other incidents, it is to ensure rapid response times in case of other calls," Priest said.

"This is an excellent example of the reason for mutual aid and is a testament to the relationships between area departments.

Priest credited all of the dispatchers, responders, and mutual aid partners for helping deal with the fire spree.

The chief also recognized the fire marshal's office for having to deal with four fire probes in a week.

"While the activities of putting out the fires tend to generate the majority of attention, the fire marshals investigating the fires should not be overlooked," Priest said.

"They often go unrecognized but spend a significant amount of time investigating the incidents long after the majority of scene activity is over."

Before the fires, WHFD units were meeting informally Tuesday night with residents of two other neighborhoods that were affected by fire in recent days.

Those blazes were on March 6 on Steven Street and March 10 on Kane Street.

From Tuesday, March 12: 'Two West Hartford Fires Prompt WHFD Community Response'