WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — West Hartford first responders fought a kitchen fire in a multi-family residence on Wednesday, according to Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Greg H. Priest.
As police and fire personnel responded to Elmhurst Street at 4:25 p.m, West Hartford Public Safety Dispatch alerted them that an individual had been forced to jump from a second-story window of the residence to escape the smoke and flames.
At 4:29 p.m., the first fire unit to arrive on site observed smoke billowing from the second floor, Priest said. The individual who reportedly jumped told firefighters that no one else was in the home.
Priest said the occupant was taken to an area hospital by America Medical Response, accompanied by a WHFD paramedic, with injuries that are likely non-life-threatening.
The fire was knocked out by 4:36 p.m., Priest said, after firefighters executed an interior structural attack with two hose lines and performed a search to confirm there were no additional people inside.
Priest determined that the home had significant smoke and fire damage and is “likely uninhabitable,” but the adjacent residence appears unaffected and will likely be able to remain occupied. Both residences are being evaluated by the West Hartford Building Official.
During the response, AMR and West Hartford police aided at the scene, and the Red Cross was summoned to help occupants from the residence, Priest said.
The West Hartford Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire, Priest confirmed.
As units were operating on the fire, the UConn, New Britain, and Hartford Fire Departments, along with additional AMR ambulances, provided standby coverage for the remainder of West Hartford.
“We are very appreciative to our mutual aid departments and other emergency responder organizations who assisted,” Priest said, in the release.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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