House Fire Details Reinforce Importance of Preparedness, Safety

A at 58 Moore Ave. in Naugatuck could have been much worse. Fortunately, though, the homeowner was quickly alerted to a fire in an upstairs bedroom by a smoke detector.

The resident was outside at the time, around 7:30 p.m., according to Chief Ken Hanks, and immediately called 911. About three minutes later, firefighters were on scene coordinating an attack and extinguishing the flames before they spread into the walls and elsewhere in the two-story house.

"They did well," Hanks said of crews from Engine 4, Truck 1 and Engine 3 from the Eastside Company. "We kept it to the room of origin and no one was injured."

Firefighters remained on scene until about 10 p.m., while the fire marshal conducted an investigation into the cause. Hanks said it was determined that the fire started when an extension cord overheated.

The cord was connected to an air conditioner in the bedroom, Hanks said. Referencing warning labels on the cords, Hanks noted that they should never be used to power major appliances that require a lot of electricty, like refrigerators, dish washers and air conditioners. "They can be very dangerous if not used properly," Hanks said of extension cords.

Fortunately, he said, the fire was spotted and extinguished before it could spread. "Everything fell perfectly into place."

Damage was primarily limited to the bedroom, though there was some smoke damage to the remainder of the house. Hanks said the residents were unable to stay at the house Sunday night, but should be back in the house very soon.