Wednesday’s fire in roof of an old factory building is thought to have been caused by a sagging electrical line.
There were no injuries.
Ansonia Fire Department Assistant Chief Michael Eheman said firefighters were sent to a building inside the Farrel complex off Main Street being leased by Diversified Electric at 12:35 p.m. after receiving a report of smoke inside the building.
Diversified Electric uses the space for storage. Two employees had entered the building to get supplies when they smelled smoke.
“They backed out and called us,” Eheman said.
The fire burned an area on the roof measuring about 100 feet by 150 feet.
An electrical line had been resting on a roof rafter, firefighters believe. It took firefighters. It took some time to get water on the flames due to the building’s massive size — and firefighters had to make sure electricity to the complex was shut off.
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As 1:47 p.m., firefighters indicated they had the majority of the flames knocked down.
Main Street was closed throughout downtown Ansonia. Metro-North train service was shut down because firefighters had to run hoses across the railroad tracks behind the building.
Fire departments on scene include Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Shelton and Woodbridge. Orange was brought in to cover any Derby fire calls.
Employees from the Farrel building next door were cleared from their building. Metro-North service had been shut down for a short time.
At the same time of the factory fire, Ansonia was sent to a report of a fire in Burger King on Pershing Drive. That fire was minor, firefighters said.
