Peter Marteka
Hartford Courant
Copyright 2007 The Hartford Courant Company
All Rights Reserved
GLASTONBURY, Conn. — Although a fire heavily damaged portions of a shopping plaza Monday, the town’s fire chief is crediting firefighters for preventing the blaze from spreading into the attic and destroying adjacent businesses.
The early morning fire at Buck’s Corner Plaza destroyed the former location of a catering business and a neighboring liquor store. But other businesses in the plaza, located at 2249 New London Turnpike, were expected to reopen in a few days.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, they immediately set up two ladder trucks and started dumping water onto the roof and flames, Glastonbury Volunteer Fire Department Chief Matthew Nelson said.
“It’s one of the best stops I’ve ever seen on a building with that type of truss construction,” said Nelson, who has been a firefighter for more than 45 years. “Very rarely do you see a fire stopped that’s gone through the attic. Once it’s there, it usually travels the length of the attic. It was a very good job.”
The blaze was reported by a neighbor at 3:54 a.m. Flames were going through the roof when firefighters arrived three minutes later. The fire was extinguished at 5:05 a.m.
Fifty to 60 firefighters responded to the blaze, with help provided by Colchester, East Hampton, Hebron, Marlborough and Portland.
The space at the New London Turnpike end of the mall, the former home of the Glastonbury Gourmet caterer and cookware store, was most seriously damaged by the fire. The space had been undergoing renovations. All businesses were closed and empty at the time of the blaze.
The Buck’s Corner Spirit Shop, next door to the Glastonbury Gourmet space, also sustained heavy damage, Assistant Fire Chief Kirk McKinney said. Several businesses, including a dance studio and day-care center were not damaged.
“We are optimistic the other businesses will open quickly,” Nelson said. “The dance studio suffered a little water damage, but crews were working to the get the utilities restored.”
The state and local fire marshals’ offices were investigating the fire.