FIRE HEAVILY DAMAGES LARGE NORWICH HOME

Investigation Team was called in to assist with the crash reconstruction. Officers from the Stonington and Ledyard police departments also assisted Groton officers with crash scene processing.

Norwich — Crews spent several hours Monday battling a blaze that heavily damaged a 13-room, 2½-story house at 575 New London Turnpike.

East Great Plain fire Chief Keith Milton said the call came in about 5:10 p.m. He saw thick flames on the second floor when he arrived.

Milton said it took a couple hours to bring the blaze under control, in part because of the size and age of the structure.

Built in 1900, the home features 7,607 square feet of space and has gone through multiple phases of construction.

Milton said a partial collapse near the main body of the fire further complicated firefighters’ efforts by creating hotspots to uncover and quash.

Norwich, Yantic and Laurel Hill firefighters helped fight the flames. The Mohegan Tribal firefighter assist and search team also was on scene.

The East Great Plain Volunteer Fire Department left one truck staffed overnight to watch for rekindling. Most others had cleared the scene by 11 p.m. Monday, Milton said.

No one was injured in the fire, which displaced at least two families.

“It warmed up yesterday as the day went on, so some of the crews were getting hot,” Milton said Tuesday. “It was about making sure there was enough manpower to keep everybody hydrated and safe. That’s what we strive for and I believe that’s what we achieved yesterday.”

Records show the house belongs to Nancy Miceli.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.