Three Firefighters Hurt Battling Blaze at Historic Connecticut Building
Three firefighters were hospitalized and several pet dogs and cats were missing as a fire heavily damaged a historic building in New Hartford, Connecticut, officials said. All 22 residents were accounted for and unharmed.
Nearly 100 firefighters from more than 30 departments responded to the blaze, which was first reported shortly before 2:30 a.m., said Jon Barbagallo, a spokesperson for regional emergency response agencies. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries and a third suffered a serious medical problem, he said.
The three-story building known as New Hartford House dates from 1850 and had six businesses on the ground floor and 14 apartments above, Barbagallo said.
The 20 adults and two children who lived in the building were accounted for, but were left homeless, he said. The blaze destroyed much of the building, leaving only parts of the brick facade still standing.
“We were sleeping and we heard a beeping noise,” Christine Civitello, a resident of the building, said. “We grabbed our kid and we all just ran out the door without anything. I had a tank top on. The firemen gave me some clothes. But yeah, it was really intense.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.