George Polasek, 77, said he didn’t realize his apartment house on Platt Street was burning until a neighbor across the street knocked on his door.
“The lady told me about it, I looked, saw the smoke and she called police,” Polasek said moments after firefighters extinguished the blaze at 139 Platt St.
Polasek and another tenant were inside the two-family house when a fire started in a first-floor bedroom.
Neither tenant was injured, nor did they know what started the fire, which was reported at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Eagle Hose Captain Anthony DeLucia said the call came into the fire department as an attic fire. Responding firefighters were greeted by smoke and flames coming from the attic and the first floor of the house.
DeLucia said the fire was relatively small. Firefighters stretched a hose into the residence for a “quick knockdown,” DeLucia said. He said the fire was out within 10 minutes or so.
Other firefighters used the ladder truck to get onto the roof, where they cut a hole to vent the structure. Derby firefighters responded to the scene as well.
DeLucia said the fire damage inside was limited to the bedroom.
The Ansonia fire marshal’s office is investigating.
As of about 2:15 p.m. Thursday, Polasek was outside wondering about the extent of the damage.
“Once you put the water on it, there’s a lot of damage,” Polasek said.
Still, he was able to crack a one-liner.
“I like fire, but I don’t like to be burned,” he said.
Platt Street was closed between Elm Street and Dor’el Terrace while firefighters dealt with the fire, then cleaned up.