Middlebury firefighters found heavy fire on the second floor and exterior of the Carriage Drive home

By Liz Hardaway
Journal Inquirer

MIDDLEBURY, Conn. — Multiple fire departments engaged in an hours-long battle with a house fire on Carriage Drive on Wednesday, according to the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department.

The department was called to the home around 11:10 a.m. for a possible structure fire. At the scene, units “faced heavy fire conditions on the second floor and outside front of the building, the fire department said.

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Crews doused the exterior flames, containing the fire to the areas burning upon arrival, while firefighters prepared to extinguish the flames from inside and search the home, according to the fire department.

The fire department said more than 30 members of the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department, Middlebury Ambulance, and Middlebury Ladies Auxiliary responded to the incident, which lasted well over five hours. The Watertown Fire Department, Oxford Center Volunteer Fire Company, Quaker Farms Fire Company and the Southbury Fire Department also responded to the incident while the Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department provided station coverage.

There was no one in the home when firefighters arrived, the fire department said.

“Thank you to all who responded for your time, effort, expertise and training that facilitated the best possible outcome for this devastating event,” the fire department said. The fire department also thanked the neighbors on Carriage Drive, whose prompt reporting of the incident facilitated in a quick response.

Further information about the blaze was not immediately available.

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