One person is dead and two hospitalized after a fire gutted a home in Bridgeport Sunday morning.
Fire officials said when crews arrived at the home at 335 Seltsam Road around 2 a.m. the house was like a “fireball.”
“The first arriving units found the house fully involved. Fire coming out of every window and every door. We couldn’t go inside to make an attack,” said Bridgeport Fire Chief Richard Thode.
Neighbors described the terrifying scene.
“I looked out the window and I saw that the house was engulfed in fire. It was totally orange. This fire was humongous,” said Mari Ali.
Three adults were at home. Two were transported to the hospital, but a third victim did not survive.
Off camera, one victim’s sister recounted his description of the events that unfolded. She says he told her that he was woken up by the smoke alarm, and came into the kitchen where he found the water running. As he went to turn off the sink, his wife's adult daughter told him she was trying to put out a fire. He turned to see their couch engulfed in flames. He woke up his wife and told her to take their dog out the back door. Later at the hospital, he learned that neither she nor the dog made it out alive.
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Witnesses described hearing explosions during the blaze.
“The flame woke me up and when I stepped out in less than ten seconds that’s when the explosions started,” said Carl Augustin.
Investigators haven’t said what caused those blasts but the next door neighbor, Chadrick Ashley says one of the victims used an oxygen tank. The fire severely scorched the siding of his home, and melted his shed and his deck.
Fire officials said that while the fire does not appear suspicious, the exact cause remains under investigation.
