W/F 138 Old BLack Point Road Jan 27th 2011

Fire destroys Niantic home

By Izaskun E. Larrañeta Publication: theday.com Published 01/27/2011 12:00 AM Updated 01/27/2011 09:50 AM

Niantic — A single-family ranch home on Old Black Point Road was extensively damaged by fire early this morning. Fire crews not only had to battle the fire but also had to contend with the snow. The fire was reported at 4:44 a.m. at 138 Old Black Point Road.
Niantic Fire Chief John McDonald said road conditions at that hour were terrible but that fire crews were able to get to the home at a reasonable time. He said there was heavy fire coming from the living room area, which was extending to the bedrooms. He said two people inside the home managed to get out safely but were taken to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital as a precaution. "We just trudged through the snow but we had no issues with our hoses," said McDonald. "Our water supply was good. It's just winter in New England. It was a little more difficult." McDonald said the town's plow trucks automatically responded to the scene, salting and clearing the roads for fire crews. "They were absolutely fantastic," he added. McDonald said the fire was under control within 45 minutes. In addition to Niantic, the Flanders fire department and the Mohegan tribal FAST team responded. Crews from Waterford and Old Lyme covered the stations. Fire Marshal Richard Morris said the fire was an accident caused by the fireplace. He said over a long period of time the mortar in the fireplace became defective and caused the mantle to catch on fire, which extended through the walls. Morris said the home is a total loss.

Crews join to fight storm and fire

House fire in Niantic, no injuries

Updated: Thursday, 27 Jan 2011, 7:02 PM EST Published : Thursday, 27 Jan 2011, 5:54 PM EST Tina Detelj

NIANTIC, Conn. (WTNH) - Firefighters in Niantic had to deal with the severe storm conditions, and then a raging house fire. The flames broke out early in the morning on Jan. 27, on Old Black Point Road while heavy snow was falling, and roadways were treacherous. It created an extra hurdle for crews responding to the scene. The call for the fire came in around 4:45a.m. The weather made it difficult to fight the fire after fighting the snow to get to the scene. "I went to back up, and I got as far as here, and my truck just sat there and spun and then my wife came out," says Tim Yuhas of the Niantic Fire Police. His daughters heard their mom shoveling and came out too. "It actually was pretty tough because all of the snow was all under his truck," says Jessica Yuhas. Police volunteers also provided assistance at the scene of the fire. "Then when the plow truck come by I said can you help me? And he did he came back around," says Yuhas. Other Public Works crews made sure roads leading to the scene were clear for these first responders. "We're very fortunate where everyone really does come together when something like this happens," says Chief John McDonald of the Niantic Fire Department. The two people in this Old Black Point Road home made it out safely. The chief says response time wasn't delayed too much even with the added challenges. "Here again we had to drag the hose lines and everything through snow," says McDonald. Certainly there were great challenges in fighting the fire, but there was also a greater effort among firefighters and even other city departments to get people here to be able to fight the fire.