Fairfield Firefighter Trapped In Burning Building, Rescued

FAIRFIELD, CT — A Fairfield firefighter was rescued Wednesday night while battling a stubborn blaze, according to officials.

Emergency crews were called roughly 9:30 p.m. about smoke coming from a duplex on Bloomfield Drive, a fire department news release said. When first responders reached the scene, they saw smoke coming from the first floor and attic of the building. The fire started in a basement crawlspace and extended up to the attic, affecting both units of the structure.

Residents had escaped the building before emergency personnel arrived.

“Fairfield firefighters aggressively attacked the fire,” the news release said, adding first responders from Bridgeport and Westport also assisted on scene.

At one point, a firefighter ran low on air and was briefly trapped on the second floor, but his fellow firefighters quickly assisted by raising a ladder, so he could escape, according to the news release, which said the firefighter was not injured.

“We continually practice and prepare for firefighter rescue, and tonight that training paid off,” Assistant Chief George Gomola said in the news release.

In addition to rescuing one of their own, firefighters saved multiple tropical birds and fish in one of the homes, according to the news release. When United Illuminating Co. cut the power to the building, firefighters used a generator to keep the fish’s aquarium heater and filter running, a life-saving measure for the animals.

The power outage affected several other homes in the area, but electricity was restored to those residences a little after midnight. The fire was brought under control about 10:45 p.m., but the blaze left both units of the structure temporarily uninhabitable.

“This was a dangerous, stubborn fire that was very difficult to extinguish,” Gomola said in the news release.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.