East Lyme - Josephine (Knox) Lathrop, of Niantic, died on May 4, 2012, at Crescent Point in Niantic.

She was born on Jan. 12, 1920, in Hartford, the daughter of James W. Knox and Myrtle (Havens) Knox.

She was the widow of Donald C. Lathrop; they were married June, 28, 1941.

Mrs. Lathrop is survived by her sons, Donald C. Lathrop II and his wife, Linda, of Gales Ferry and James K. Lathrop and his wife, Terri, of Niantic; her daughters, Susan Moore and her husband, William, of Niantic and Tamsin Lathrop Maynard and partner, Susan, of Waterford; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her son, Thornton H. Lathrop and her sisters, Barbara and Laura.

Mrs. Lathrop was a graduate of Wellesley College. Her grandmother got her involved with the Niantic Library at the age of 12, and she was later employed as a librarian there, retiring at the age of 65 as head librarian. She was a life member of the East Lyme Historical Society, the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, and the Descendants of the Mayflower. She was a member of the East Lyme Women's Club and the Book Club. She was an avid reader and was a member of the Woman's Auxilary of the Niantic Fire Department for years. She and her husband very much enjoyed traveling and were able to go to many areas of the world and the United States. She was also a UConn women's basketball fan. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the VNA and Crescent Point staffs for the wonderful care they gave their mother in her final days.

A funeral service will be held on at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at St. John's Episcopal Church, Main St., Niantic.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to East Lyme Public Library to help with the purchase of books.

MVA 03/23/12

Two injured in East Lyme collision Published
03/24/2012 12:00 AM Updated 03/24/2012 06:32 PM The Day East Lyme
Two people were sent to the hospital Friday after a head-on collision on Pennsylvania Avenue near Oswegatchie Hills Road. Police said a Jeep driven by Senielle M. Kogut, 30, of 93 Walnut Hill Road crossed into the lane of a Toyota Highlander driven by 66-year-old Wayne M. Winslow of 13 Williams St. in Waterford. Both drivers were taken to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London with injuries that were not deemed life-threatening. No charges were filed, but the accident remains under investigation, police said.

Shed Fire 03/23/12 10 Cranberry Lane

Photo Sent to The Day by Dick Morris, East Lyme Fire Marshal

Firefighters respond to blaze in East Lyme shed
By Sasha Goldstein
Publication: theday.com
Published 03/23/2012 12:00 AM Updated 03/23/2012 05:25 PM

East Lyme – Town fire marshal Dick Morris said burning leaves from a small campfire spread to a wood shed, which burned to the ground. Morris said about 20 firefighters responded around 3:24 p.m. to fight the 10-by-10 foot shed fire at 10 Cranberry Lane. He said no one was injured after the accidental fire. "There were probably two chords of wood in there," Morris said. "It was really cranking." Morris said the Chesterfield, Montville, Flanders and Niantic Fire Departments responded to the scene, under the command of Flanders chief James Levandoski.

Firefighters of the Year hear applause instead of alarms By Karen Florin Publication: The Day Published 03/12/2012 12:00 AM Updated 03/12/2012 02:51 PM Annual New London Elks banquet lets departments single out members for honors New London - The men and women who run into burning buildings and provide patients with a comforting pat on the shoulder while providing them with emergency medical care relaxed and ate prime rib Sunday as the New London Elks, BPOE 360, honored them at its annual Firefighters Day banquet. Community leaders, legislators and fire administrators presented proclamations to the Firefighters of the Year while their colleagues provided a steady stream of applause and ribbing. John Fratus, a paramedic for Lawrence & Memorial Hospital and a 51-year volunteer for the Oswegatchie Fire Department, accepted awards from both organizations along with two standing ovations. Fratus has been battling cancer but has remained involved as a trainer even when he was unable to work in the field. Speaker after speaker remarked on his enthusiasm and passion for helping. "Even I have been a recipient of John's paramedic services," said event co-Chairman Herb Eldridge, a retired police officer and a volunteer firefighter. "When he shows up, believe me, everything is going to be OK." Like all of the honorees, Fratus deflected the praise and thanked his co-workers and the community. He said he "fully expects to be back on the road in the near future." "Thanks for allowing me to enjoy my passion," he said. As for his calming presence with patients, Fratus said, "Sometimes just putting your hand on the shoulder and getting rid of the anxiety is half the job." Eldridge said the Elks lodge has been honoring firefighters from the towns within the lodge's jurisdiction for about 15 years and that he and members Richard Kirchhoff and Edward Hallisey have always co-chaired the event. "We ask the various departments involved to submit a name of one of their members they wish to have recognized as their firefighter of the year," Eldridge said. This years honorees are: Todd Patton of the New London Fire Department, Fratus from L&M and Oswegatchie, Paul Masterson Jr. from the Jordan Fire Company, Joshua Carson from the Quaker Hill Fire Company, Mark Zanghetti from the Goshen Fire Company; and Andrew Edmonds from the Cohanzie Fire Company. Also, William Allen, a paid firefighter for the Town of East Lyme, Alison Hoffner, a volunteer from the Niantic Fire Department, Carl Sposato from the Mohegan Tribal Fire Department, Richard Dole, a paid firefighter from the Town of Montville, Gottfried Beisel from the Montville Fire Department, Ed Reynolds from the Oakdale Fire Department and Bert Davis from the Chesterfield Fire Department. k.florin@theday.com

W/F 8 Morris Ln 2/20/12

By ANTHONY DiLORENZO, adilorenzo@ctnow.com FOX CT

6:22 a.m. EST, February 20, 2012

Firefighters battled a house fire in East Lyme for hours Monday morning. The fire at 8 Morris Lane was called in around 3 a.m., according to Fire Marshal Richard Morris. When firefighters arrived on scene the garage of the home was completely on fire, Morris said. Witnesses said they heard several explosions coming from the garage. Morris said those explosions were oxygen tanks stored in the garage, which then fueled and helped the fire spread to the rest of the home. Five residents, including two adults, their two grown children, and an elderly woman, made it out safely. Morris said the elderly woman is on oxygen, and several tanks were stored in the garage. A firefighter was injured after falling through the second floor into the living room of the home, Morris said. That firefighter was taken to Lawrence and Memorial hospital for treatment of his injuries. Morris said after an initial investigation, it appears the fire may have started because of a bag of discarded ashes or careless disposal of smoking materials. The official cause of the fire is still under investigation, Morris said.

East Lyme home destroyed by fire

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 3:45 AM EST Updated: Feb 20, 2012 7:22 AM EST

By WFSB Staff

EAST LYME, CT (WFSB) -

An East Lyme home was destroyed by fire overnight and now officials are looking into what may have started it. Five people were inside the Morris Lane home when the fire began around 3 a.m. Crews from East Lyme, Flanders, Niantic and other surrounding communities responded to reports of the fire, which may have started in the garage, and quickly spread to the rest of the home. The mother, father, two sons and an elderly mother-in-law were all able to escape. "We drove around and the house was completely in flames by the time we got here," said eyewitness Lauren Adams. Adams and other neighbors said they heard explosions when the house caught fire. One firefighter, a 29-year-veteran of the force, was injured when he fell through the floor trying to get out. He was taken to a local hospital and is expected to fully recover. The fire remains under investigation. Refresh this page and watch Eyewitness News for updates. Copyright 2012 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved

Explosions Heard from Scene of East Lyme Fire

A family of five is displaced in East Lyme.

Monday, Feb 20, 2012  |  Updated 7:57 AM EST

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com

Five people are out of their East Lyme home after a fire early Monday morning and a firefighter was injured.

Several neighbors called 911 around 3 a.m. after hearing explosions from the home on Morris Lane, off of Lovers Lane, and feeling them from almost a quarter-mile away.

The fire marshal said several oxygen bottles in the garage exploded.

Officials said the fire was so intense that firefighters had to back off at one point.

The four adults and one child made it out of the home safely, but one firefighter fell from the second floor. He is expected to be OK.

Images from http://www.homebrewtvnews.com

 

UPDATED: Man pulled from Niantic River Friday morning dies

By Sasha Goldstein

Publication: theday.com
Published 12/16/2011 12:00 AM
Updated 12/16/2011 07:31 PM


Sean D. Elliot/The Day
A Niantic fire department boat and a civilian boat carrying a Waterford firefighter patrol the waters of the Niantic River after a man was pulled from the water Friday morning, Dec. 16, 2011. He was transported to Lawrence and Memorial Hospital but later died.

Waterford – A 53-year-old man pulled from the Niantic River this morning was later declared dead, police said.

Lt. David Burton said a call came in around 10 a.m. reporting a grounded, 10-foot blue and white Whaler with its engine running.

Minutes later, Burton said, a second call came in reporting an individual in the water. Officers responded to the Niantic River Road side of the river and pulled the man from the water. He was transported to Lawrence and Memorial Hospital but later declared dead, Burton said.

Burton said the man was the owner and operator of the idling skiff.

Burton said the death is not considered suspicious but remains under investigation. It's a joint investigation with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Burton said, because DEEP investigates fatal boating accidents.

The man's identity has not been released.

Conditions were windy and clear Friday morning. Emergency personnel were still on scene along Niantic River Road, near Bayside and 7th Avenue, around 11 a.m.