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JCC in Woodbridge closed after 2 firefighters sent to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning

WOODBRIDGE — Two firefighters were hospitalized fighting a six-alarm fire at the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven on Monday. One of the two fi...
jcc-fire-3

WOODBRIDGE — Two firefighters were hospitalized fighting a six-alarm fire at the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven on Monday.

One of the two firefighters injured was released from the hospital Monday night and the second firefighter was taken to Warwick, RI to their hyperbaric chamber for  treatment. They are expected to be there through tomorrow. The two firefighters have 39 years of firefighting experience combined.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment which enhances the body’s natural healing process by inhalation of 100 percent oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled. It is used for a wide variety of treatments usually as a part of an overall medical care plan.

Officials with the Woodbridge Fire Department said that two firefighters were believed to be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning after excessive smoke inhalation. Crews were working Tuesday on ventilating the building and the road was taped off at the entrance as workers cleaned up.

At around 3:45 p.m. on Monday a fire broke out in the sauna in the men’s spa locker room area of the JCC at 360 Amity Road in Woodbridge.

JCC in Woodbridge closed after 2 firefighters sent to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning

About 300 people were evacuated, including children who were in  daycare, according to Judy Diamondstein, CEO of the JCC of Greater New Haven. The kids were taken to a nearby retirement facility.

“We have several hundred in our childcare program,” said Diamondstein. “There were about 70 or so that we’re still in the building in the afternoon yesterday that we evacuated.”

“We worked with our dining team and made sure that the children had their snacks,” said Ryan Ochoa, executive director of the Brookdale Woodbridge retirement facility. Brookdale also took care of some of the adult members of the JCC, who had been in the pool and were forced to evacuate in bathing suits.

“And some of them actually became Brookdale employees for the day because we had to use some of our uniforms to make sure that they were nice and warm,” said Ochoa.

Other then the two firefighters, no other injuries were reported and the fire was out by 5 p.m.

Woodbridge, Orange, Bethany, Seymour and Prospect all sent their fire departments to the scene to assist, and Amity Road was closed since hoses had to be brought across the road.

The JCC is closed while the cause of the fire is under investigation. The JCC was open Tuesday from 1-3 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m. for members who may have left personal possessions in the building, and for staff.

The JCC’s next mission: not waiting until the 150,000-square-foot facility is refurbished to resume services for the thousands of members.

“So, while we are closed today, we fully intend to be servicing our childcare families by tomorrow,” said Diamondstein.

They’ve been working with community partners to find an alternative space off campus. And, Tuesday afternoon, they reached a deal with Congregation B’nai Jacob, in Woodbridge, to temporarily host the daycare and aftercare programs, effective either Thursday or Friday of this week

“Our same, quality teachers and curriculum and everything will be at work,” said Diamondstein.

Other member services will also be up and running in short order.

“Many of them (members) have been here their whole lives,” said Diamondstein. “You know, they started down in downtown New Haven on Chapel Street. They tell me stories all the time about what it meant to grow up here.”

The Woodbridge Fire Marshal and State Fire Marshal are investigating the cause of the fire and it could take a week to determine the cause.

The Woodbridge Fire Department said they had a plan of attack for this fire and have a plan for all commercial buildings in town. They said that the concrete construction is what saved the building and it has very good fire suppression equipment. The gym floor was under 5-6” inches of water and will likely have to be replaced. There is no estimate on the amount of damage.

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