MERIDEN, Conn. — Meriden firefighters are hoping to figure out what exactly caused a massive six-alarm fire on Pratt St. on Friday. However, they're waiting on an assessment by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
"I've been on the job for 21 years and this is the first time I've ever been to a six-alarm fire," said Cristina Schoeck, Deputy Chief for the Meriden Fire Department.
Meriden Fire officials said they got the call around 8 p.m. on Friday for a fire at 167 Pratt St. That location is home to a four-story vacant brick building, a two story large wood frame building and CRC Chrome, a local plating facility housing lots of chemicals.
"On our arrival, we had heavy heavy smoke, and heavy fire throughout the majority of that building So it took off relatively fast," said Ryan Dunn, Deputy Chief for the Meriden Fire Department.
There was one man working at CRC Chrome at the time of the fire. Deputy Chief Dunn said he was trying to get out, and became disoriented. Firefighters were able to rescue the man, and he is expected to make a full recovery.
Luckily, the Meriden Fire Department had a plan for the complex, knowing it contained hazardous materials and structural complications. They visited the site in the past to take a look at those factors.
"What the building's condition is at the time of that pre-plan, and what exposures. And by exposures, what other buildings are close," Deputy Chief Dunn said.
Just behind the buildings is a residential area, full of homes. One home was within feet of the fire.
FOX61 spoke with the homeowners, who said they are feeling lucky that they still have their home.
"I don't know if it was anxiety or what, but I could have sworn, it was going to take our home," said Ashley Peguero, who lives in home behind fire site.
Peguero said her takes a lot of pride in where they live.
"My grandparents worked really hard for their home, selling flowers, and this is the first thing they ever bought with the money," Peguero said.
Her family migrated to Meriden from Mexico. On Friday, Peguero saw the flames from far away as she was coming home from work.
"My heart just sank. All I could think about was my husband, the animals, my grandmother was in bed," Peguero said.
Firefighters and neighbors helped them evacuate the home, some temporarily taking in the pets they had, too. In the process of fighting the fire, their backyard fence was cut into, and their car and home received some water damage. However, Peguero said they're feeling grateful that they have each other and the things that mean the most to their family.
"Mentally, we were getting ourselves prepare to lose our home," Peguero said.
In the meantime, on the other side of Pratt St., sits the plating company, which has multiple Quonset buildings housing different chemicals.
"At this point, there is no risk to the public. We are working closely with the EPA," Deputy Chief Dunn said.
EPA and DEEP were on site, making sure the location is safe.
Right now, Dunn said because of the damage from the fire, fire marshals haven't been able to get in to wrap up the investigation into the cause and origin of the fire. The structural integrity of the building, he said, is what's coming into question. Now, fire crews are working with the EPA to get a structural engineer into the building so that investigation can begin.
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