Report: 4 hurt in raging house blaze

MIDDLETOWN — Four people were taken to area hospitals following a massive two-alarm blaze which touched off early Friday at a home on Saybrook Road.

State and local fire marshals and police detectives are investigating the scene at the home in the 1600 block of Saybrook Road, as well as reports of an explosion on the property, according to South District Fire Chief Michael Howley, who arrived moments after the 6:25 a.m. call.

Two occupants were taken to the hospital, as were two others, possibly neighbors, who were in the backyard helping bring the individuals to safety. “They were pulling the residents out of the house, so they got burned on their hands,” he said.

“It was 100 percent in flames. It was an abrupt fire — quite extensive,” Howley added.

The photo he took upon arrival shows a raging fire consuming the structure, which is in a wooded area near Aircraft Road and the Haddam line.

Lifestar medevac was summoned to transport the burn victims to Bridgeport Hospital, but was unable to land due to substandard conditions. “Lifestar would not fly. That is their pilot’s choice. The weather was not conducive for flying:

very foggy, misty, rainy. They can’t fly in that,” the chief said. “Their visual is not good.”

Fire personnel were on scene within minutes, said Howley, who was at the Randolph Road station, about a mile-and-a-half away.

“The fire was fully involved. There were no explosions after we got on scene,” he said. “We immediately had multiple things to do. The fire, you think, is number one, but it isn’t — patient care is number one.”

He immediately called in multiple units from several nearby towns to provide mutual aid, including Haddam, Middletown, Westfield, Durham, Middlefield and as far south as Deep River.

Between seven and eight tanker trucks showed up to help supply water as are were no fire hydrants nearby, Howley said. Four Hunters Ambulance crews were called in.

Half of the South Fire and other first responders were directed to attend to the patients, while the remainder attacked the blaze.

“As more people are arriving, we’re starting to put more people on the fire itself,” Howley said. “We got tremendous help from everybody.”

Investigators are expected to be processing the scene throughout the day, the chief said. By late morning, the home was still smoldering and heavy equipment was being brought in for demolition.

A cause has not yet been determined.

Michael Howley / Contributed photo Fire crews from throughout Middlesex County were called to a two-alarm fire Friday morning in the 1600 block of Saybrook Road in Middletown.