MIDDLEFIELD, Conn — One person is dead after a fire erupted in a Middlefield home early Friday morning.
Middlefield Fire Chief Peter Tyc said the fire was reported just after 1 a.m. A neighbor called 911, and some firefighters who live in the area jumped into action.
There were reports that a person was trapped inside. When first responders and engines arrived at the scene, they found a heavy fire at the front of the porch, which was knocked down quickly.
One of the people inside of the home had tried getting out but was found dead on the porch. Another person managed to get out safely, as did a dog.
The victim was identified as a student of John Lyman Elementary School, according to Doug Schuch, the superintendent of Regional School District 13.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this child in this most difficult time," Schuch said in a letter sent to the school community Friday morning.
Counseling will be available for kids and adults at John Lyman Elementary and Brewster Elementary on Friday, Schuch added.
Officials said the smoke detector was working in the house and while it's too early to tell, foul play is not being ruled out by investigators at this time.
The Middlefield Fire Department was aided by Durham, Westfield, Middletown, and Killingworth fire departments, and tankers were brought in as there were no hydrants in the area.
Khadida Akter, a neighbor, said she heard several screams around 1 a.m. and looked outside to see smoke.
"[I wished] I could help them, but I can't. I saw the fire department was here, and they helped them. I just pray that everyone will be fine," Akter said, before learning about the child who lost their life.
Akter said she couldn't sleep at all the rest of the night, feeling helpless that she couldn't assist her neighbors.
Bill Weckesser, another neighbor, said that this was the first terrible event to happen in the neighborhood in a long time. Weckesser is familiar with loss.
"Forty-four years ago, we lost a son in an accident, and I hope I don't start crying," he said. "And then 30 years later, we also lost a grandson. Both of those boys were lost in automobile accidents... You never get over it. You just live with it. That's all you can do."
Tyc said this is a hard day for the entire community.
"Loss of life. We are a small community. Everybody knows everybody or has a connection with each other, whether it be if our kids went to school together, so this is an extremely difficult situation," Tyc said.
The house is considered a total loss, officials said. One firefighter reported minor injuries and was later released from the hospital.
Middlefield and state police are investigating the cause of the fire.
A GoFundMe to benefit the victims of the fire can be found here.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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