A Vernon home was damaged by a fire that broke out Sunday night, and one firefighter had to be checked out at the hospital after an injury during the call.
The flames were spotted just before 8 p.m. at a home on Kenneth Drive.
The fire started in the garage and torched rooms nearby. Thankfully the family who lives in the home, a couple, a child and a dog, were out at the time.
“It would have potentially been different if people had been at home. So very lucky the residents weren’t at home,” said Vernon Fire Chief Stephen Eppler.
Cell phone video captured the intense flames that raced through part of this home in Vernon. The family and the neighbors told NBC Connecticut they were stunned by how quickly this fire grew.
Firefighters rushed to douse the flames.
One firefighter did take a hit, knocked over by a hose stream.
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“We had one firefighter who basically had an injury on scene and was taken to the hospital to be checked out as a precaution. He has since been released,” Eppler said.
No other injuries were reported.
Officials said the unseasonable weather was actually a help, with temperatures in the 40s and a light rain falling.
“It probably would have been much worse if it had been snow. The snow and the cold conditions we’ve gotten over the past few weeks. We always worry about freezing conditions just in terms of ice on the roads,” Eppler said.
Firefighters said the garage was destroyed and at least two rooms were damaged, but many of the family’s belongings were saved.
Neighbors told NBC Connecticut they are a tight-knit community and they will help to make sure the family receives the help they need.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
