Plainfield Firefighters Battle Fire in Multi-Family Home

Plainfield, CT – Firefighters made quick work of a fire in a multi-family building on Norwich Rd Saturday afternoon.

At approximately 4:44 p.m. on Saturday, May 25th, 2024, a 1st alarm assignment was struck for a reported structure fire at 685-689 Norwich Rd, in the Plainfield Fire Company’s district.

Crews arrived to find heavy fire on a porch and B (left from the front) side of a 2.5-story multi-family residence with smoke showing from the eaves. Two crews immediately deployed 1.75″ attack lines off of the Plainfield’s Engine Tanker 195 (ET-195). One crew immediately began knocking down the fire that had climbed the siding of the structure, while the second crew entered through a doorway on the D (right from the front) side of the structure. Once the bulk of the exterior fire was knocked down both crews operated inside.

Once inside the building, firefighters found that no fire had extended into the first or second-floor apartments, likely thanks to closed doors on most rooms. With smoke showing from the eaves, the firefighters knew the fire still had to be above them. Crews discovered a secondary stairway in a bedroom, which was not immediately noticeable, that brought them to the half-story above where they found heavy fire.

While crews operated inside the building, another crew was working to cut a vent hole (a hole that allows the heat and fire to travel vertically out of a structure instead of being trapped inside) in the roof. The roof crew and interior crew performed a coordinated attack and vent allowing the roof to be opened as the fire was simultaneously extinguished below. As soon as the roof was opened, flames shot over 10′ from the roof emitting a tremendous amount of heat. Less than 5 minutes later, the fire was knocked down. The bulk of the fire was knocked down within approximately 30 minutes from the time crews arrived on the scene.

Firefighters spent over an hour overhauling the structure, ensuring that all of the fire within the walls and in the attic was fully extinguished.

Throughout the incident, water was supplied to the scene from a hydrant, pumped by Tanker 194 (T-194), approximately 800′ away on 7th St Annex.

One firefighter was transported to the Plainfield Emergency Care Center (PECC) for a suspected heat injury. No residents were injured during the incident.

The American Red Cross was requested to assist 4 adults.

The fire remains under investigation by the Plainfield Fire Marshal’s Office.

Agencies that responded included the Plainfield Fire Co. #1, Moosup Fire Department, Central Village Fire Company, Danielson Fire Department, South Killingly Fire Department, American Legion Ambulance (Moosup Ambulance), the Plainfield Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Plainfield Police Department.

Weather metadata:

5/25/24, 685-689 Norwich Rd, Plainfield, CT, 1 Alarm Fire

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