Ten people gathering to celebrate Thanksgiving were suddenly driven from their home at 48 Old Castle Drive when the house started filling up with smoke by the fireplace just before 11:30 Thursday night.
Firefighters determined there was a fire hidden in the wall between the kitchen and family room. After pulling out kitchen cabinets and breaching the wall behind the fireplace, they got to the flames before the fire could extend further throughout the house.
None of the occupants or firefighters were injured, but due to the smoke odor, the residents were unable to stay in the home. Damage was limited primarily to the kitchen.
Fire Marshal William Davin estimates repairs could be in the $30,000 to $50,000 range.
"Had the fire broken out after everyone went to sleep, it could have been a terrible outcome as the fire would have swept through the walls," Davin said. "The owners were grateful it was contained fairly quickly."
Standing among fire hoses laid across the front yard, Monroe Assistant Fire Chief Peter Chila, who oversaw the operation, added how difficult it can be for firefighters when the house is full of smoke, but no flames are visible.
"Overall, it was a good outcome," he said. "The occupants evacuated safely and the house and most of its contents were saved."
A large contingent of firefighters from Monroe, Stevenson, and Stepney descended on the cul-de-sac located in the Barn Hill Road area — approximately 32 in all, manning three engines and two ladder trucks. Trumbull and Shelton also provided coverage in the event of another emergency in town.
After cleaning their equipment, the last volunteer firefighters from the Route 110 station headed home around 1:45 am.
This story was written by Kevin Catalano, spokesman for the Monroe Volunteer Fire Co.
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