The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
New Hartford House razed; residents grieve
NEW HARTFORD — Residents sat for hours watching as a bulldozer razed their beloved New Hartford House, a landmark built in the 1850s destroyed Tuesday by a three-alarm fire.
The fire, which drew mutual aid from departments around New Hartford, left the residents of the house’s apartments, as well as six businesses, homeless. Everything was lost in the blaze. But memories of New Hartford House remain.
The cause of Tuesday’s fire, during which Burlington firefighter and EMT Colin McFadden, 26, suf
fered a medical emergency, remains under investigation, officials said. McFadden died Thursday. The six-year member of the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department, had been in critical condition at John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington, according to Fire Chief Michael Boucher.
McFadden “became suddenly ill at a fire,” officials said in a statement Wednesday.
“During his care and treatment, McFadden’s medical team discovered a previously undiagnosed medical condition that caused this sudden illness,” Boucher said in the statement.
The fire department is asking people who want to help to donate blood to the American Red Cross, which is citing a severe blood shortage in hospitals.
At the town library across the street, staff members and residents sat on the steps, while a group of people sat on the porch of Our Lady of Hope church, just up the street. All watched as the building tumbled down under the bulldozer Wednesday.
Jessica Smith, a lifelong resident, asked one of the cleanup crew from Environmental Solutions whether she could have a piece of the second-floor railing, which was lying in the road, for a keepsake. “This building was the heartbeat and soul of our town to all of us,” she said, as she held several railing spindles in her hand and watched the demolition. “I want to have something to remember it by.
“Our little beloved town is coming to say goodbye to the house,” Smith said. “It’s just devastating.”
Mike Bendell said he rented an apartment in New Hartford House back in the 1980s. “I moved to Simsbury, but I came back today to see this,” he said. “It’s sad.”
Heather Riera and her daughter Reiley, 8, watched the scene from the historical society building across the street, where a small crowd gathered. Some took photos with cellphones, while others recorded the action. “We live here, and for us, the New Hartford House represents our town,” Riera said.
“It’s sad because people lived there,” Reiley said. “They had to leave.”
When asked what her favorite memory of the New Hartford House was, Daria Hart said, “Chatterley’s (restaurant). It was such a nice place . ... It’s a devastating loss.”
Hart had high praise for the firefighters who responded quickly to the fire early Tuesday morning. “They did an amazing job, protecting the buildings all around it,” she said. “They don’t get enough credit for
what they do.
“This is just so sad,” she said. “I’ve lived downtown since 1984, and in town since 1976.”
Artist Lucille Delaney tried to find out whether a painting she donated to one of the businesses still might be inside, but quickly realized it was gone.
“I did a painting of the Farmington River, and it was on a wall in the restaurant. You could see it through the window,” she said. “I have such fond memories of this building.”