Blaze in borough displaces family

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A Naugatuck firefighter investigates a chimney fire at 122 Field St. in Naugatuck on Thursday night. -CHRISTOPHER MASSA/REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

NAUGATUCK — A family is temporarily displaced following a fire that had spread near the chimney of a two-floor colonial house at 122 Field St. Thursday night.

Firefighters reported no injuries to the home’s residents, nor to firefighters.

Fire Chief Ellen Murray said the fire was reported at 6:19 p.m. A ladder truck and two fire engines from the fire department’s headquarters and Eastside station responded, she said. Beacon Hose Company No. 1 from Beacon Falls provided station coverage, she said.

Upon arrival firefighters found that the exterior of the home’s right side was “fully involved,” Murray said.

Murray said firefighters essentially quelled the blaze within 20 minutes. After that, firefighters focused their efforts on opening walls to check for hidden fires, as the blaze burned behind the structure’s siding, she said.

“So there was a lot of overhaul to make sure there’s no hidden fire, to make sure there’s no problems later,” Murray said. “They were up in the attic. They checked it from the attic to the basement. Pulled some wood to make sure the fire is completely out.”

Overall, the damage was limited to the side of the house where the chimney had been, on the outside and inside, Murray said.

Initially firefighters were concerned about live electrical wires being involved in the fire, as they feed into the house near where the fire had started, “but fortunately they weren’t,” Murray said.

Electric service to the home was cut off, she said.

How the fire spread from the chimney is under investigation, Murray said.

Tom Sullivan Jr., who owns the home, said his son was home when the fire began. Because the fire had started on the home’s exterior, his son was unaware of the fire until a neighbor had knocked on the door, Sullivan said.

“He said he was sitting in the room over near where the fire started,” said Sullivan, who stood near the driveway of his home. “Somebody knocks on the door, and says the house is on fire. They could see it from out here. He couldn’t.”

Sullivan said he is thankful no one was hurt.

“That’s the important thing,” he said.

Sullivan said he doesn’t know how the fire started, noting that the chimney is swept multiple times a year and had been cleaned again about a month ago.

Sullivan said he and his family are going to figure out temporary living arrangements until their home is ready to be occupied again.