Volunteer firefighters from all five local fire companies responded at about 6 pm on Thursday, April 23, to a raised-ranch house at 101 Castle Hill Road, where a fire had broken out, heavily damaging the structure.

There were no injuries in the accidental blaze, according to Fire Marshal Bill Halstead, who is investigating the fire.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, fire was blowing out of the windows on the building’s upper story, he said.

According to fire dispatch reports, at 5:53 pm, fire companies from Newtown Hook & Ladder, Hawleyville, Sandy Hook, and Botsford were sent to the scene. At 6:03 pm, Dodgingtown firefighters were dispatched. Firefighters remained at the scene for about 3½ hours.

Town real estate records list Susannah Keith as the owner of the eight-room house, which is set back about 600 feet from the street, at the end of a curving driveway. The house was built in 1974. The 5.16-acre site is on the south side of Castle Hill Road, just west of Castle Hill Road’s intersection with Kent Road.

Mr Halstead said that a woman who lives at the house was at home at the time of the incident and was outside the building when firefighters arrived.

The structure received $100,000 or more of damage, he said, adding that it is unclear whether the structure is repairable. The house is not habitable, he said.

The American Red Cross responded to the scene after the fire to secure temporary lodgings for the mother and daughter who live there, according to fire officials.

The fire started in a bedroom, Mr Halstead said, adding that he would return to the scene on Friday, April 24, to further investigate the cause of the blaze.

On Friday morning, Mr Halstead characterized the fire as accidental and of undetermined origin.

Mr Halstead noted electrical service at the house had been off earlier in the day and that the electric utility company was called there the restore the power before the house fire occurred.

Mr Halstead said he called in police to take statements to aid in his fire investigation.

The bedroom where the fire began was gutted by the fire, Mr Halstead said, adding that another bedroom was heavily damaged. The house also received heavy smoke damage. The roof was heavily damaged.

Hook & Ladder Fire Chief Ray Corbo was the fire incident commander.

Chief Corbo said that about 40 volunteer firefighters responded. Firefighters used approximately 2,500 gallons of water carried on fire vehicles to put out the blaze, he said.

The firefighters brought a charged hose into the house through the front door to gain access to the flames, Chief Corbo said.

Firefighters knocked down the blaze in about 20 minutes, and then quickly brought it under control, he said.

“We were there quick, and we had it knocked down quick,” he said.

Much fire overhaul work at the house was required after the fire was extinguished, he said.

The section of Castle Hill Road near the house was closed to through-traffic for several hours while firefighters were at the scene. Detours were required.