21 residents being helped after Norwich blaze

The fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause of a Sunday fire at a multi-family residence in Norwich that brought in more than 50 local firefighters.

The Norwich Fire Department was dispatched at 5:11 a.m. to 51 14th St. in the Greeneville section of the city for a report of a structure fire, Battalion Chief Michael Dziavit said in a press release.

Arriving firefighters were confronted with fire showing on the exterior of the building with flames extending to the attic and threatening a nearby building. As crews hosed down visible flames and doused the neighboring structure, additional firefighters advanced to an upper floor and conducted a search for a reported missing resident, Dziavit said. That individual was later found outside.

Officials said the difficulty in accessing the building’s attic and the fire’s path through concealed spaces made the operation a challenge. Several cats and a bird were rescued from the blaze.

A partial roof collapse and the advancing fire eventually forced firefighters out of the structure and into a defensive posture with three aerial and four exterior hoses deployed.

According to a Facebook post by the Taftville Fire Co. #2, an individual at one point ran back into the burning building in an attempt to retrieve possessions.

“Firefighters from Taftville and Laurel Hill had to force two locked doors to catch up to and remove the civilian safely,” the post stated. “Please do not go back into buildings on fire. This endangers not only yourself but the firefighters.”

The fire was deemed under control at 7:06 a.m.

A firefighter - one of 53 to respond to the fire from seven departments - suffered a minor hand injury and was treated at the scene, officials said. No residents were injured.

The American Red Cross said they are assisting 12 adults and nine children who lived in the building.

The Norwich Police Department is assisting with the fire investigation.

John Penney can be reached at jpenney@norwichbulletin.com or at (860) 857-6965.