Multiple Rescues Made From Early Morning Apartment Fire
Killingly, Conn. - On Saturday morning, a furious fire erupted within a Danielson apartment, trapping two individuals who needed to be rescued by firefighters.
At approximately 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 26th, 2023, a first alarm assignment was struck for the Danielson Fire Department and mutual aid companies, for reports of a couch on fire inside a rear apartment of 79 Main St.
Chief Chuck Kelleher, of the Danielson Fire Department, told Quiet Corner Alerts that on arrival, crews found heavy fire showing from two second-story windows. Instead of trying to navigate the main hallway with multiple apartments, crews decided to make an aggressive attack at the rear, entering through the window via a ground ladder, and rapidly getting a handle on the fire.
While the attack crew was fighting the fire in the primary apartment, a secondary crew began performing a primary search of the adjacent apartments. As soon as crews went to enter the neighboring apartments’ window, to perform the search, they discovered two occupants trapped near the window due to the heavy smoke, which at this point was nearly to the floor. Both occupants were immediately extricated through the window and brought safely to the ground by ladder. Both occupants were transported at the Basic Life Support (BLS) level to be treated for smoke-related injuries.
Chief Kelleher went on to explain that a closed door contributed substantially to the fire being contained in the apartment of origin. While other apartments, and the business below, sustained damage themselves, it was largely due to smoke and the water utilized to extinguish the primary fire. The closed door kept the fire from getting into the main hallway keeping the fire significantly smaller than it could have been.
With the Burrough of Danielson having a complete hydrant system, crews did not lack for water the whole fire. In many areas of the Quiet Corner, numerous tanker trucks and personnel are required to handle water supply at a fire like this one. With that need alleviated, numerous personnel are freed up to assist in firefighting and search and rescue operations.
The fire was held to a 1st alarm assignment with three engine companies from the second alarm being requested for additional personnel on the scene.
While all of the departments on the scene regularly train together, the Danielson Fire Department and the South Killingly Fire Department have built an extremely tight-knit relationship. Being first and second due (the first and second truck to arrive on the scene) on every fire call or car crash in each other’s district, these crews train together almost weekly ensuring they can seamlessly operate when seconds matter.
Chief Kelleher emphasized the value of the training these men and women undergo, stating “Everybody did what they needed to do, it goes back to training, you didn’t need to tell them what to do [they just did it]. I can’t be prouder of what these guys did.”
The fire is under investigation by the Killingly Fire Marshal.
Agencies who responded, or were dispatched, included: the Danielson Fire Department, South Killingly Fire Department, Moosup Fire Department, Attawaugan Fire Department, Atwood Hose Fire Company, Dayville Fire Department, Williamsville Fire Engine Company, East Killingly Fire Department, and KB Ambulance.