Monday, March 9, 2015

EXPLOSION AND HEAVY FIRE AT GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT HOUSE; 1 INJURED









MARCH 9, 2015

GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT

Greenwich firefighters responded to an explosion and fire at a North Ridge Road home on Monday afternoon.

Updated: 4:54 p.m.

Greenwich Fire Marshals are trying to determine what caused an explosion that injured a man who was working in his Northridge Road garage when the fire broke out shortly after noon on Monday.

Deputy Greenwich Fire Chief Brian Koczak said it took firefighters about a half-hour to bring the fire under control at 30 Northridge Rd. “The occupant was working on some sort of vehicle — a four-wheeler or dune buggy type vehicle. … He was assisted out of the garage by a person who was in the neighborhood who was a Stamford firefighters,” Koczak said. It was unclear what type of work the man was doing.

The garage was destroyed and there was heavy fire damage to the kitchen and front room and heavy smoke damage to the rest of the Cape style house, according to Koczak.

Four engine crews, a ladder truck and a rescue truck arrived at 12:11 p.m. after Greenwich emergency dispatchers received reports of an explosion and fire.
The unidentified resident was taken to Stamford Hospital by Greenwich Emergency Medical Service for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. One Greenwich firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation. “He was treated by GEMS at the scene and went back to work at the scene,” according to Assistant Fire Chief Robert Kick.

Firefighters remained at the scene until 3:36 p.m., according to Koczak.
Updated: 2:14 p.m.

One person was injured by an explosion that engulfed a garage and house early Monday afternoon in Old Greenwich.

Greenwich emergency dispatchers received reports of an explosion and fire at 30 Northridge Rd., off Havemeyer Lane in Old Greenwich, about 12:11 p.m., according to Assistant Greenwich Fire Chief Robert Kick.

“There was heavy fire showing from the garage and extending into the main structure,” Kick said. The single-family Cape Cod style home had an attached garage, Kick said. “The garage is a total loss and there is significant damage to the house.” 

There was one occupant in the house who sustained non-life threatening injuries who was taken to Stamford Hospital by Greenwich Emergency Medical Service (GEMS), according to Kick. One Greenwich firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation. “He was treated by GEMS at the scene and went back to work at the scene,” Kick said.

Two hours later, crews were still on the scene and the Greenwich Fire Marshal’s division is beginning its investigation into the cause. Four engine crews, a ladder truck, and a rescue unit on the the scene under the command of Deputy Fire Chief Brian Koczak.

Kick said he could not confirm neighbor’s reports that fireworks were stored inside the garage.
Original story: 1:35 p.m.

Greenwich Fire, Police and Emergency Medical Service personnel have responded to an apparent explosion of a home on Northridge Road in Old Greenwich on Monday.

Nearby resident Robert Meehan of 50 Havemeyer Ln. reported hearing and feeling the percussion from the explosion about noon March 9.
Greenwich Professional Firefighters Local 1042 confirm via Twitter that there is a working structure fire at 30 Northridge Rd. with four engines, a ladder truck, and a rescue unit on the the scene under the command of the duty deputy fire chief.

Northridge is off Havemeyer Lane.
Greenwich Patch will update this as more details become available.