By Josh LaBella
Journal Inquirer
GROTON, Conn. — More than 50 residents were displaced and two firefighters were injured battling a massive fire at a 44-unit apartment building early Sunday morning, a local fire chief said.
Poquonnock Bridge Fire Department Chief Jeffrey Rheaume said crews were dispatched at 2:55 a.m. for a reported building fire at the Ledges Apartments on Ledgewood Road. He said the 911 center in Groton was receiving multiple calls about the fire, which was in their department’s district.
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Rheaume said firefighters got to the scene quickly and saw fire on the second, third and fourth floors as well as the attic, noting the blaze was mostly on the exterior porches at the time.
A third alarm was called in, which drew 11 other fire departments from towns as far as Old Saybrook, Norwich and Stonington, Rheaume said. The fire soon spread inside the building, causing extensive damage to six of the units, he said.
Rheaume said the bulk of the fire was knocked down in an hour and a half, but it wasn’t declared under control until about 6 a.m. He said the structure is significantly damaged, with all units sustaining water damage and the fire consuming a good portion of the attic space.
While none of the residents were injured in the fire, two firefighters suffered minor injuries, according to Rheaume. He said one was treated at the scene while the other was taken to a hospital and released shortly after.
All but one of the 44 units had tenants and more than 50 people were displaced, the chief noted.
“We’re not really expecting people to be able to reoccupy the building for a significant amount of time,” Rheaume said.
A large number of the displaced people will be housed at the Hampton Inn in Groton, he said, while others have been taken in by friends and family. The American Red Cross assisted with relocating people and the property management company had a number of representatives on scene providing support, he said.
Officials, including the Red Cross and the property management company, will be meeting with tenants at 8 a.m. Monday to talk about steps forward, Rheaume said. The Red Cross will have mental health counselors there for people who need them, he said.
Rheaume said they also are working with the property management company to allow people to retrieve their belongings inside the building. He said some of that work happened on Sunday afternoon, and a police officer will be posted at the building overnight to ensure the scene is secure.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by a joint team made up of the local fire marshal’s office, Groton Police Department and the state police Fire and Explosions Investigation Unit, Rheaume said.
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