ANSONIA — The fire marshal’s office is investigating a blaze that badly damaged a multi-family house on Clark Street Saturday.
A dog died in the fire. Between six to eight residents were in the house when the fire started, officials said. A few were taken to Griffin Hospital to get checked out after breathing in smoke. The specifics on the occupants — such as their ages — is data the fire marshal will collect.
The fire was reported around 2:45 a.m. Firefighters were still on scene as of 7:30 a.m.
Ansonia Fire Department Chief Jay Fainer said crews were handling a reported natural gas leak on the other side of the city when the police department advised of a possible structure fire in the area of Clark Street.
Fainer said when firefighters arrived in the neighborhood the smoke was so thick it obscured the location of the fire. The residents were leaving the burning house as the first crews arrived on scene.
“We found the building and stretched multiple hose lines — one to the basement, one to the first floor, and we wound up going to the second and third floors with additional hose lines,” Fainer said.
Tax assessor records state the three-family house is 2,831 square feet with six bedrooms. It was built in 1935. The owner lives out of state.
“The fire started in the basement, that’s for sure,” Fainer said. “This is older, balloon-frame construction, so the fire ran straight to the attic through the walls.”
Fainer said working in the basement was a challenge.
“Once we started pouring water, it filled up, it’s like a pool down there now,” he said. “We would up cutting holes in the first floor to shoot water into the basement.”
Firefighters from Ansonia, Derby, Oxford and Seymour responded to the two-alarm fire.
Know of an effort to help the displaced residents? Email info to ValleyIndependentSentinel@gmail.com.
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