Firefighters quickly extinguished a small fire at an antiques shop at the corner of Cedric Avenue and Roosevelt Drive Monday.
No injuries were reported.
Firefighters and emergency medical services were called to the Antique and Junque Shop at 12:08 p.m.
Derby Fire Department Chief Kurt Kemmesies, Jr. said the owner was doing some electrical work inside the warehouse-type structure.
“He was hanging lights, things like that, and something fell on a couch and ignited it,” Kemmesies said. “He tried putting it out himself by putting a blanket on it and that exacerbated the issue.”
Firefighters dragged the smoldering couch outside the building and put water on it.
“There was really no damage to the building. It was limited to the couch,” the chief said.
When there is a fire, Kemmesies said it’s safer for the public to get out of the structure and call for help.
He said fires can quickly get out of control. It’s worth calling the fire department so they can deal with it. They can use a thermal imaging camera to make sure nothing is smoldering behind the walls.
There was a major fire on Mount Pleasant Street Jan. 26 that displaced 10 people in two families. In that fire, the resident also tried to extinguish the blaze prior to calling for help.
“Don’t try to do it yourself,” Kemmesies said. “Safety is the priority. Get out of the building, call 911.”
