Thompson, CT – Area firefighters responded to a raging garage fire and rapidly moving brush fire Thursday afternoon. Two firefighters were treated on the scene for injuries sustained fighting the fires.
At approximately 3:11 PM on Thursday, October 31st, 2024, the Thompson Fire Engine Company (Thompson Hill) along with the East Thompson Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to the area of 90 Thompson Rd for reports of smoke in the area which could be seen for miles, including the Charlton Fire Tower. Minutes later a mutual aid fire officer in the area spotted the column of heavy black smoke and went to investigate, he arrived and found a two-story garage, ~1200′ off the roadway, with heavy fire showing and a fast-moving brush fire. The call was immediately upgraded to a working structure fire, bringing numerous towns to the scene.
The first apparatus arrived on the scene approximately 6 minutes after the 1st alarm was transmitted and found the garage collapsed, several vehicles fully engulfed, the nearby residence beginning to catch fire, and a brush fire rapidly moving North in the woods. The initial crew immediately deployed one 2.5″ and two 1.75″ handlines to defend the residence and begin attacking the vehicle fires. A small crew entered the woods to head off the brush fire and found a wall of flame 3′ high moving rapidly in the leaf litter. An additional 5 tankers and brush equipment were requested to the scene and operations were divided into structure ops and brush ops.
Crews were able to quickly knock down the bulk of the fire within the garage and protect the home but spent well over an hour spraying tens of thousands of gallons of water to fully extinguish hotspots with the multiple vehicles burning in the rubble.
Crews fighting the brush fire were able to knock the head of the fire down within approximately 30 minutes before spending nearly 3 hours extinguishing the fire burning within the fire line. In order to contain the fire, crews used a backpack leaf blower to create a 10′ line around the fire significantly reducing the amount of fuel available for the fire to consume. The lack of fuel allowed crews with hose lines to get water on the fire, knocking down the flames.
Our text alert subscribers were notified of this incident in real-time. Stay informed about local public safety events by joining our SMS alert service for just $4 per month. Sign up today!
As darkness fell and East Putnam’s UAV179 (drone) made a final pass with their thermal camera, several small hotspots were discovered in the burn area. Crews re-entered the woods with a handheld thermal camera, hand tools, and a hose line and spent the next several hours extinguishing pockets of fire burning under the ground which had been concealed by the layer of cool ash created during the initial fire suppression.
The property’s long driveway created several challenges for crews to overcome. When the initial Engine Tanker and Tanker arrived on the scene, they identified it would not be suitable for tankers to shuttle water up the driveway so ~1200′ of 5″ Large Diameter Hose (LDH) was laid up the driveway allowing for water to be pumped to the scene. The downside of this LDH being charged (full of water) in the driveway is that vehicles are unable to drive over it causing the driveway to become inaccessible. To overcome the transportation problem of crews, and possibly patients, transiting from the scene to the road several UTVs were brought in to shuttle crews. To supply water to the LDH a tanker shuttle was established between the scene and the closest hydrant located ~1.5 miles away on Riverside Dr at the Thompson-Putnam town line. Tankers would then dump their tanks into tender Engines connected to the LDH at the bottom of the driveway to be pumped up to the scene.
During the prolonged incident, the Killingly Rehab Team provided rehab to the crews on the scene ensuring their vitals were within appropriate standards after working and ensuring everyone remained hydrated. The Special Signal Association was also brought in to provide food, coffee, and hydration to crews on the scene. Both of these resources are vital to the physical wellness and morale of crews operating on longer-duration incidents. (Both organizations are run by volunteers and funded by donations)
During the incident, two firefighters went down as “heat casualties” suffering from heat exhaustion. Both were evaluated and treated on the scene by Putnam EMS and a KB Ambulance Paramedic.
Firefighters had previously fought a brush fire which began at 94 Thompson Rd and traveled partially onto 90 Thompson Rd’s property. The structure fire, as well as any possible connection between the two fires, is under investigation by the Thompson Fire Marshal’s Office with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit (FEIU).
Agencies that responded to the incident included the Thompson Fire Engine Company (Thompson Hill), East Thompson Volunteer Fire Department, Community Fire Company, Quinebaug Vol Fire Department, West Thompson Fire Department, Thompson Emergency Management, East Putnam Fire Department, Putnam Fire Department, Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association, Bungay Fire Brigade, Muddy Brook Fire Department, Attawaugan Fire Department, Dayville Fire Company, East Killingly Fire Department, Dudley Fire Department (MA), Webster Fire Department (MA), Chepachet Fire Department (RI), Pascoag Fire Department (RI), West Glocester Fire Department (RI), Putnam EMS, KB Ambulance QV Medic, Killingly Rehab Team, Special Signal Association Providence Canteen, Connecticut State Police Troop D, Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit (FEIU).
Quiet Corner Alerts maintains a policy of not revealing the names of victims or suspects unless they are actively being sought by law enforcement or pose a perceived threat to the public.
