Fire displaces borough family

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A Naugatuck firefighter works at he scene of a house fire at 100 Conrad St. in Naugatuck Wednesday afternoon. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI
A Naugatuck firefighter works at the scene of a house fire at 100 Conrad St. in Naugatuck Wednesday afternoon. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

NAUGATUCK — A fire caused significant damage to a house on Conrad Street Wednesday afternoon and displaced a family.

A neighbor noticed smoke coming out of the attic of the Cape Cod-style home at 100 Conrad St. and called 911 at about 3:45 p.m., Fire Chief Ken Hanks said.

When firefighters arrived on the scene smoke and flames could be seen coming from the house, Hanks said.

The fire started in the living room on the first floor and got into the wall, spreading to the attic and basement, Hanks said. Firefighters put out the fire within 20 minutes, he said, and the first floor of the home sustained most of the damage.

No one was home at the time of the fire. Firefighters were able to get a family dog out of the house, Hanks said. Nobody was injured in the fire, he said.

Firefighters from Beacon Falls assisted at the scene, as Oxford firefighters provided coverage during the fire.

Aside from fighting the fire, firefighters were also battling the frigid temperatures.

Hanks said any water used quickly turned to ice, creating slippery conditions for firefighters. He added the extreme cold also makes it more difficult for firefighters to locate a fire, because the smoke doesn’t rise as fast.

Firefighters were on the scene late into the afternoon investigating the cause of the fire, which remains under investigation.

The home sustained significant damage. Part of one side of the house was charred, and firefighters were removing parts of the burnt siding Wednesday afternoon checking for hot spots to ensure another fire didn’t flare up. A hole was also cut in the roof to ventilate the smoke.

Hanks said the house is uninhabitable. There was minor structural damage, he said, but it’s repairable. The family is staying with other family members for the time being, he said.

According to the Naugatuck assessor’s office, the house is owned by Peter Mendler Jr. and J. Lourdes.

The Republican American contributed to this article.