Quick Response by Canton Firefighters Contains Late Night Structure Fire
Downed, Live Wire Presented Additional Challenges
Dispatch: Saturday, December 5, 2015; 10:33 p.m. The Town of Canton Volunteer Fire & EMS Department responded to a report of a garage on fire at 11 Old Canton Road, CT. Upon arrival, firefighters found the garage fully involved. There were multiple exposures, in the path of the fire, including: the residence (on one side) and the house next door at 10 Old Canton Road. A live wire was also down on the driveway, further impeding direct access to the fire. The occupants at both residences were safely evacuated.
Department Chief Richard Hutchings was Incident Commander: “Our fire attack was initiated from multiple points surrounding the garage, using large, 2 /1/2 inch hose lines. We had a number of strategic priorities: protecting the two residences on either side of the garage and knocking down the garage fire itself; being ever mindful of the live wire in the driveway. It could have been much worse, if we had not responded as quickly as we did.”
While the fire destroyed the garage and cars inside, additional damage to the adjacent homes was largely contained to the outside walls of those homes.
Twenty Canton volunteer firefighters on Engines 1, 3, 4, 6, Ladder 2 and Canton’s ambulance responded to the scene. Canton’s Fire Police restricted access to the area from different vantage points. Mutual aid support was requested from Avon Volunteer Fire Department and Simsbury Volunteer Fire Department. No injuries to individuals, pets or firefighters were reported.
The fire was deemed under control at about 10:55 p.m. with Canton Volunteer Fire & EMS crews remaining at the scene, conducting overhaul of the site and checking for further extension. Eversource was contacted immediately upon arrival and power was shut off to the live wire at 11:10 p.m. The fire remains under investigation by the Canton Fire Marshal’s office.
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