Washington Avenue Fire Hospitalizes Four, Child And Mother Critical

UPDATE from CT Post here.
Video of fire and rescue

: A fire inside an apartment building on Washington Avenue early Sunday morning hospitalized four people including a two-year-old who’s listed in critical condition, according to city public safety spokesman Bill Kaempffer. Firefighters entered the building to rescue victims with the aid of an aerial ladder through an apartment window.

More from Kaempffer and city Communications Director Brett Broesder:

Four people were hospitalized after an early-morning fire in an apartment building on Washington Avenue. Firefighters responded to 223 Washington Ave., a four-story brick apartment building, at 12:30 this morning.

As firefighters arrived, residents were evacuating down a fire escape and out of the front door of the building. Firefighters learned that there were people still inside the building, including inside the apartment where the fire started. Firefighters immediately started rescue efforts.

According to Assistant Chief Robert Morton, a second alarm was called because of the size of the building.
Firefighters entered the building and rescued at least four people. Two elderly people were escorted out of their unit by firefighters and brought to safety.

Other firefighters entered the apartment that was on fire and found several victims, including a 2-year-old child. Firefighters on a ladder truck outside raised the aerial ladder to the apartment window and firefighters inside handed them the victims, Morton said. They were brought down the aerial ladder and taken to Bridgeport Hospital.

According to a hospital spokesman, the child was flown to Shriners Hospital in critical condition. Her mother also was in critical condition. A third patient was still being evaluated and a fourth was in good condition. The fire was contained to the one apartment and is under investigation.

The apartment blaze was reported at 12:30AM this morning. Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters were told by a man who escaped from the apartment that his significant other and two year old were trapped in the apartment. And, before receiving access to their water hose lines, firefighters began rescue efforts using Water Cans–which are five-gallon water extinguishers–to beat back the flames, followed by heroically carrying the woman and two-year-old from the fire to safety.

“Our firefighters did an outstanding job,” said Bridgeport Fire Chief  Brian Rooney. “The rescuers didn’t wait for hose lines. They encountered heavy fire inside the apartment while armed with five-gallon water cans in a very difficult environment that left little room to move. They located the victims, carried them to the window and firefighters outside brought them down. As always, our firefighters put other people’s safety ahead of their own.”

“It’s been a tough week for firefighters in Bridgeport that has put them to an unforeseen test,” said Mayor Finch. “But they’ve passed with flying colors. Their commitment to keeping kids and families safe and secure in our city goes above-and-beyond anything we could ever ask of them. I cannot thank Chief Rooney and his team enough for their unwavering dedication to the Park City and our residents.”