Apr 12, 2008
Weston garage goes up in flames
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by Patricia Gay
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A garage at a home on High Noon Road was destroyed in a fire on Saturday night. —Matt Brodacki photo
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A garage was lost, but a home
was spared and no one was injured during a fire at 3 High Noon Road,
which occurred around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5.
When members of the Weston Volunteer Fire Department responded to the
call from dispatch, they found an active fire tearing through a
three-car attached garage, and a two-car garage that was underneath the
main house.
There were five cars in the garage at the time of the blaze, but
homeowner Eugene Huang was able to move one car into the driveway and
save it.
The other cars were destroyed in the fire. “They were burned to a crisp,” said Weston Fire Chief John Pokorny.
When the fire department arrived, the garage was on fire and flames
were burning through the roof. With help from Wilton and Easton fire
departments, firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the garage
and keep it away from the two-story house.
“The fire started to go into the house and attic, but we had crews
working outside the house and firefighters on each floor to keep the
fire out. The house did suffer some smoke damage,” Chief Pokorny said.
Total loss
The
garage, however, was a total loss, and a small office at the back of
the garage also suffered some heat damage, Chief Pokorny said.
The fire started shortly before 11:30 p.m., and came to the attention
of the Huang family when they smelled a strong odor of smoke coming
from the garage. When they looked out, they saw flames shooting from
the roof.
Weston was assisted by the Wilton Fire Department, which provided a
2,500-gallon water tank, and the Easton Fire Department, which supplied
manpower. The department also tapped into a neighbor’s pool across the
street to provide additional water.
In all, 15,000 gallons of water were used to fight the blaze, Chief Pokorny estimated.
Members of Weston EMS were also at the scene in case anyone needed medical services.
The fire department left a crew at the home overnight to make sure the fire was contained and did not spread to the house.
Cause
Chief
Pokorny said the cause of the fire was not immediately apparent, and
may be electrical. He said the cause was under investigation.
Homeowners Eugene and Pamela Huang have lived in Weston for 16 years.
They have two sons who live at home, and a third son who is away at a
college.
“I would like to thank the Weston Volunteer Fire Department, EMS
volunteers, and other fire departments for all their assistance,” Mr.
Huang said.
He said the family was also appreciative of the people who have stopped
by with offers of support and help. In particular, he said he is very
grateful to his next door neighbors who allowed the fire department to
use water from their swimming pool to fight the fire. “That pool saved
our house,” Mr. Huang said.
The family intends to rebuild the garage, Mr. Huang said.
He also offered some fire prevention advice that could help others. “A
fire can happen to anyone at anytime. Be prepared. Make sure to check
your smoke alarms,” he said.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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