ENFIELD, Connecticut — Fire Chief Edward Richards reports that Enfield Fire District 1 extinguished a fire inside of an attached garage at a home Monday morning, and would like to remind residents about the proper disposal of ashes.
At approximately 11 a.m. today, Enfield Fire District 1 responded to a report of a structure fire at 259 Abbe Road. The fire was initially reported as a lawnmower fire in the garage by a resident.
An off-duty firefighter going by the scene reported that the fire was contained in the garage and he used a fire extinguisher in an attempt to knock down the flames.
Engine 12 from the Weymouth Road Station was the first apparatus on scene and was able to quickly knock down the rest of the fire.
No injuries were reported in the incident and the fire was able to be contained to the garage.
The initial investigation indicates that the fire was started by ashes from a wood stove that had been discarded in a plastic container in the garage earlier in the morning. The ashes ignited the container and nearby storage items and then eventually the garage structure.
The garage sustained approximately $10,000 in fire, water and smoke damage.
“Thankfully this fire did not spread to the house, partly due to the quick-thinking actions of the off-duty firefighter who stopped to assist before our engine arrived at the scene,” Chief Richards said. “I would like to commend him and our firefighters who were able to quickly knock the flames down and prevent more significant damage.”
Chief Richards reminds residents that to prevent fires, ashes cleaned out from fireplaces or stoves should be shoveled into a metal bucket with a metal lid and placed outside on the ground away from buildings.
Do NOT place ashes into a paper bag, cardboard box or plastic container and refrain from dumping them onto the ground, as embers can stay hot for days and ignite combustibles.
The fire today is the second time in less than 24 hours that Enfield Fire District 1 extinguished a fire at a home. At approximately noon on Sunday, Nov. 17, Enfield Fire District 1 extinguished a fire at a home at 28 Raffia Road that was caused by improper disposal of smoking materials.
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