OLD SAYBROOK - A massive fire ripped through a beachfront community in Old Saybrook.
"It’s heart-wrenching. You don’t wanna see that after you put all your time and effort into a home," said Ty Dimeo.
Cellphone video captured beachfront homes quickly going up in flames. The wind off the water kindled the fire which spread them to neighboring homes.
"You don’t know what you’re ultimately going to get with this wind and what was going to keep burning," said J.T. Dunn of the Old Saybrook Fire Department. "You don’t know where the fires gonna stop."
The fire began just before 4:00 pm at 29 Beach Road West in Old Saybrook.
A woman and her two dogs escaping from the home unharmed before the flames spread. Four homes caught fire sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
"Building materials around those other homes are catching on fire just from the winds blowing those embers across the street," said Dunn.
The wind creating dangerous conditions for responding firefighters from over five towns. They attacked the flames from land and sea. First responders brought in water tankers, a fireboat and ran waterlines nearly a mile away to Boston Post Road to bring in enough water to contain the flames.
"Because the wind was blowing the other way that kind of saved my house," said Dimeo.
Two homes collapsed leaving behind charred remains and memories for homeowners devastated by the scene. The raw emotions spilled into the street.
"It’s your property," said Dunn "If your home burned down, it would be a pretty devastating event."
Those homeowners now tasked with the prospect of rebuilding their homes and lives.
"It’s heart-wrenching you know there are a lot of good people down here," said Dimeo.
Despite the heavy loss of property, fortunately there were no injuries.
This isn’t the first time a fire like this has affected the community. Dunn could remember two other times in the last 20 years where multiple homes caught fire. That experience helped them contain some of the flames today.
Investigators are investigating what may have started the fire.
