Working as one, responders from all of Newtown's five volunteer fire companies stood shoulder to shoulder fighting a dramatic trailer fire at the Meadowbrook Terrace Mobile Home Park at 55 Sugar Street shortly before 10 am Tuesday morning.

As assistance with water shuttles and coverage for local fire houses poured in from Monroe, Southbury, and Brookfield, local crews doused the 30- by 10-foot residential trailer as the resident, Frank Rocca, Jr. and his pet dog, stood a few feet away watching as the structure became fully engulfed in flames.

The call was initially reported as a possible furnace fire. Fire Marshal Bill Halstead was first on the scene, and reported fire showing through the front door of the mobile home. Hook & Ladder Assistant Chief Jason Rivera arrived shortly thereafter and assumed command of the scene.

Newtown Ambulance volunteers and a paramedic were also dispatched to the trailer park as a standard precautionary measure, but had not treated anyone at the scene as of 10:36, when Chief Rivera reported that "the bulk of the fire" had been knocked down.

He notifed local dispatch that multiple local crews would be on scene cleaning up "for some time." Ambulance volunteers were subsequently released.

Route 302 was temporarily closed between West Street and the area of the trailer park to keep firefighters safe and to open up room for the tanker shuttles.

Monroe sent a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) for support at the scene. Southbury was requested to send a truck and crew to Sandy Hook, and Brookfield send a truck and crew to Hook & Ladder's station, both for standby.

Because of the time of day and the location of responding volunteers, more than a half-dozen fully suited firefighters were ready and waiting as Botsford's first pumper arrived on scene, pulling hose lines and getting water on the escalating flames within moments of the truck's arrival.

As volunteers established a water tanker shuttle, the black smoke that was billowing from the residence turned ghostly white. That rising smoke could be seen from several points around town including from Boggs Hill Road.

By Tuesday afternoon, Chief Halstead said he was still investigating the fire's origin, but confirmed it began in the area of the dwelling near the furnace.

This story has been updated identifying the resident involved. It has also been updated to include the name of the firefighter in one of the photos.