Taunton Lake Road House Fire Damages Bedroom

By Andrew Gorosko

Three volunteer fire companies responded in the bitter cold on the morning of Saturday, January 10, to a Taunton Lake Road house fire, which caused an estimated $20,000 in property damage, fire officials said.

There were no injuries in the blaze, which damaged a bedroom in a single-story house at 65 Taunton Lake Road, which overlooks Taunton Lake, said Corey Robinson, the first assistant fire chief for Newtown Hook and Ladder, who served as incident commander. Hawleyville and Sandy Hook firefighters also went to the blaze, which was reported at 11:10 am. About 25 firefighters responded.

Home at the time of the fire were property owner Cynthia Etzel and a friend, said Deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood. A malfunctioning electrical cord extension caused the accidental blaze, he said. The property is insured for damage, he added. The occupants alerted firefighters of the fire.

Fire damage was confined to the bedroom, where a television, humidifier, and curtains were damaged by the blaze, Mr Robinson said. Firefighters used less than 500 gallons of water to extinguish the flames, he said, adding it took about five minutes to put out the blaze.

Because the bedroom door was closed by the occupants after the fire was discovered, the damage was limited, he said. The flames, smoke, and water caused the property damage.

The house remains habitable, but repairs will be necessary, according to Mr Robinson.

One of the women in the house used a chemical fire extinguisher to fight the flames after the fire was discovered, Mr Lockwood said.

“It could have been very serious, if it happened at night,” he added.