West Hartford Country Club Building Destroyed After Second Fire: WHFD

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A second blaze has hit a West Hartford country club building, this time destroying it early Sunday morning and prompting a police investigation.

Once again, local firefighters swarmed a building at the Wampanoag Country Club, 60 Wampanoag Road, West Hartford, and whether the second blaze is related to the first one Saturday morning is being investigated.

The WHFD said the fire is under investigation by the West Hartford Fire Marshal’s office, the West Hartford Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police Fire Explosion and Investigation Unit.

According to West Hartford Fire Department Chief Greg Priest, calls for the second country club blaze came in at 2:18 a.m. Sunday from a nearby resident.

Priest said the caller reported visible flames from the top of the building.

Shortly thereafter, WHFD and West Hartford Police Department units arrived on the scene and discovered "heavy fire through the roof," Priest said, triggering calls for further units and mutual aid.

That same building was damaged by fire early Saturday morning and it prompted a similar WHFD/mutual aid response.

Priest said in a statement that the second inferno essentially leveled the building this time.

He said it appears no one was inside the building at the time.

"Contractor vehicles and generators related to fire restoration from the previous night were present but there was no information available to suggest anyone was inside the building," Priest said.

"Based on the extent of heavy fire throughout the entire building with partial structural collapses already occurring, the on-duty deputy chief called for a defensive attack (exterior only) with master streams and transmitted a second alarm. The second alarm brought mutual aid partners to the scene."

According to Priest, most of the fire was knocked down by 3:57 a.m. Sunday, though firefighters remained on scene afterward to monitor the site.

Priest said fire crews will remain at the country club and Wampanoag Drive was closed for a bit of time this morning, but it has reportedly reopened. He said no injuries have been reported.

Priest said West Hartford firefighters and police were joined by the UConn Fire Department, Avon Fire Department, New Britain Fire Department, and American Medical Response.

He said the Hartford Fire Department, Newington Fire Department, and AMR also assisted by covering the town while West Hartford units were battling this fire.

While the official cause of both fires is under investigation, the WFHD Saturday reported the first blaze started near a loading dock/kitchen exit and, eventually, spread to the attic area.

There, the WHFD said, the fire was reported to be difficult to reach and firefighters had to access the stubborn fire via the rooftop.

From April 20: 'Country Club In West Hartford Damaged By Fire: WHFD'