A middle-aged man was injured in an early morning fire on Monday, January 8, at a Bungalow Terrace residence in the Riverside section of Sandy Hook, after he came into contact with a burning chair that had accidentally ignited due to its proximity to a fire in a fireplace, officials said.

Paul Sarnik, 52, a tenant who was living at a small house at 5 Bungalow Terrace, was transported by ambulance to the Bridgeport Hospital burn unit for treatment of hand burns. Mr Sarnik was discharged from the hospital later Monday, after having been treated.

Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company Chief Bill Halstead said firefighters learned of the fire at about 2:40 am. Bungalow Terrace is a densely developed side street that extends from Riverside Road.

The accidental blaze extensively damaged the wood-frame structure. Flames were seen shooting out of the front door when firefighters arrived, Chief Halstead said. The building is not habitable.

About 30 volunteer firefighters went to the burning house. Firefighters from Sandy Hook, Newtown Hook & Ladder, Hawleyville, Botsford, and Dodgingtown responded. The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps also went to the scene and police assisted at the fire.

Deputy Fire Marshal Steve Murphy said that after Mr Sarnik realized that an upholstered wooden chair positioned near the fireplace had ignited, he grabbed the chair in seeking to carry it outdoors. But the bulky chair got jammed in a doorway as Mr Sarnik was moving it.

The fireplace did not have a protective barrier in front of it, such as a metallic spark screen or glass fire panels, Mr Murphy said. Apparently, a burning log among the logs piled in the fireplace had shifted position, resulting in a release of embers which ignited the chair.

Mr Sarnik was the only person in the building when the fire occurred, Chief Halstead said. The blaze caused extensive fire and smoke damage, he added. No nearby houses caught fire due to the incident.

Although there were frigid conditions when the fire occurred, weather was not a factor in firefighting, Chief Halstead said. It required about 3,000 gallons of water carried on fire trucks to put out the fire. Firefighters had the blaze under control in about 10 to 15 minutes, he said.

A town road department worker went to the scene to sand the pavement that had gotten wet and then iced over following the use of firefighting water.

Fire Marshal Rich Frampton said January 9 that after Mr Sarnik had gotten out of the burning house, he placed a 911 call to report the blaze.

Estimated damage value of the fire is at approximately $150,000, according to the fire marshal. The extent of the structural damage is unclear, nor is it clear if the property is insured, he added.

Mr Sarnik will be receiving post-fire help through the town Social Services Department, the Red Cross, and a visiting nurse, Mr Frampton said.

Mr Frampton urged that for the sake of fire safety, residents who are using a fireplace position a fire screen or protective glass fire panels in front of the fireplace to prevent stray embers from escaping and igniting flammable objects. Flammable objects should be kept well away from fireplaces, he said.

Also, flammable objects should be kept at least three feet away from any heating appliances, such as furnaces and space heaters, he said.

The fire marshal also urged caution when using lit candles, as they pose a fire risk because they hold an open flame.