NORTH HAVEN, Conn. — A North Haven firefighter who had been a 22-year veteran of the department died from injuries after battling a house fire early Monday morning, officials said.
North Haven Fire Chief Paul Januszewski said the firefighter was taken to the hospital with serious injuries after a mayday call for a "firefighter down" was issued during the attack of the fire.
Matthias Wirtz, 46, was located outside the building, operating a fire truck. He was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital and was later pronounced dead.
“We worked hard to save him, real hard,” Januszewski said of Wirtz, noting there was an ambulance and paramedics on the scene because of the fire. “We made every effort possible.”
Wirtz had been with the department for 22 years. Januszewski said he began working for the fire department around the same time as Writz. He said the firefighter was excited about recently being tasked as a driver.
“He was everybody’s friend. He was a great person. He was a great family man,” Januszewski said. “He would do anything for anybody.”
Wirtz started his career as a volunteer firefighter in 1996, serving the North East Volunteer Fire Co. #4 in North Haven. He received numerous letters of commendation over the years and was among the Connecticut firefighters who responded to the terrorist attacks in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.
The fire broke out around 1 a.m. at a large, multi-family home on Quinnipiac Avenue.
The home had three floors with four family units. Thirteen people were displaced due to the blaze, with Januszewski saying each unit suffered damage.
According to Januszewski, firefighters began an aggressive attack at the rear of the building. Wirtz was initially injured outside the home, but Januszewski did not specify the nature of the injuries.
The road is closed in the area, and drivers are asked to see an alternate route this morning.
Fire crews from New Haven, East Haven, Hamden, and Wallingford all assisted with the fire and have volunteered their time at the scene so the North Haven fire crew can grieve the loss of Wirtz, Januszewski said.
Fire departments from around the state expressed condolences on social media to North Haven firefighters and Wirtz's family.
On Monday, Gov. Ned Lamont directed all U.S. and state flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Wirtz. They will remain lowered until sunset on the day of his interment, which has not yet been determined.
“The passing of North Haven Firefighter Matthias Wirtz is heartbreaking, and we honor his bravery and courage in responding early this morning to a multi-alarm residential fire, where over a dozen people have become displaced,” Lamont said in a statement. “This is particularly upsetting as it comes at a time of year when families and friends are gathering to celebrate the holiday season. His passing is a painful reminder that first responders work every single day of the year, 24 hours a day, and often miss holidays with their families in order to protect the people of our state. My heart is with his family, friends, and colleagues in the North Haven Fire Department.”
Connecticut State Police have taken over the investigation into the cause of the fire and the Red Cross is assisting the displaced families.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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