ANSONIA — A fire outside a duplex at 113 Prospect St. on Monday highlights the importance of working smoke alarms, Ansonia Fire Marshal Darrick Lundeen said.
There were no injuries reported.
The fire was reported at about 5:55 p.m. Monday (Nov. 15) and firefighters were on scene within a few minutes.
The fire was outside the house in the rear, in some trash bags that were sitting on concrete steps leading down to the backyard. It was quickly extinguished. The fire did some damage to siding attached to the house.
Lundeen said officials think the fire was accidental, but are not declaring it so pending some additional investigative work.
“It’s most likely going to be an accidental fire but we just have to clear up a few things,” Lundeen said.
Lundeen noted two sisters were inside the home — an older sister was babysitting her younger sister. The older sibling did not smell or see smoke inside the home — but heard the smoke alarm sounding, which prompted her to look outside, see the fire, and call for help.
“She said she didn’t see smoke inside, but there was probably just enough getting in to trip the alarm, which led her to discover the fire,” he said. “That’s why you check your smoke detectors to make sure they are in place and are working.”
Without those working devices, yesterday’s scenario “could have been a whole other scenario,” Lundeen noted.
