Blaze damages Prospect home

0
86

PROSPECT — An early morning fire on Wednesday damaged a home at 20 Spruce Drive.

Mayor Robert Chatfield, who is the day commander for the Volunteer Fire Department of Prospect, said the call for the fire came in just before 6 a.m.

Prospect Fire Marshal Keith Griffin said a neighbor noticed the fire.

“It was lucky the neighbor saw it and called us,” Griffin said.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, Chatfield said, they saw flames coming from the roof around the chimney.

The residents of the house were not aware of the fire until firefighters were pounding on their front door, Griffin said. He said firefighters were preparing to pry the door open when a resident answered the door.

Two adults and three dogs in the house escaped with no injuries, Chatfield said.

Firefighters quickly put out the fire, Chatfield said, and were still on the scene throughout the morning to ensure there were no hot spots and the fire didn’t rekindle.

“It is better to be safe than sorry,” Chatfield said.

Griffin said the cause of the fire was accidental.

A two-by-four, which had been resting against the chimney near the firebox, caught on fire which led to a chimney fire, Griffin said. Due to holes in the mortar of the chimney, he said, the fire spread to the sheetrock and the attic.

Since the fire was in the attic it did not set off any of the smoke detectors in the house, Griffin said.

Griffin said the house sustained significant damage. The fire burned holes in the roof around the chimney and another large hole in the roof, he said.

The roof and attic will have to be completely replaced, Griffin said. The first floor and basement suffered heat and water damage, and the sheetrock on the walls would likely have to be replaced, he said.

According to property records, the house is owned by Anthony and Sarah Dominici and is appraised at $256,843.

Members of the Bethany Fire Department assisted with the fire and members of the Cheshire Fire Department provided coverage at the firehouse, Chatfield said.

Chatfield said it was good the fire, or one like it, didn’t happen during Winter Storm Stella on Tuesday.

“If this occurred yesterday during that big storm it could have been much worse,” Chatfield said.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comments from Prospect Fire Marshal Keith Griffin.