The West Hartford Fire Department responded to two kitchen fires within a week and initiated safety assistance programs in the two affected areas.
Submitted photo/West Hartford Fire Department
Crews were on Tuesday night at both Stephen Street and Kane Street, the sites of kitchen fires on March 6 and March 10, talking with residents about what steps could be taken after the fires. We were planning to talk.
“This is all about smoke alarms. Alarms are very important,” said Jimmy Paul Jr., the department's fire inspector. “It's a priority. Reporting is number one. It all starts with reporting. If you don't know there's a fire in your house, you could be trapped. You could be sleeping.”
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Paul said the two fires caused moderate property damage and no injuries to residents, but the department's presence in the two areas was beneficial because they occurred so close together. He said he felt it. It also relates to the recommendation to test smoke detectors during daylight saving time.
“These two fires happened a few days apart and both started in the kitchen,” Paul said. “Now is the time to change the time on your clock and check your battery. They almost go hand in hand.”
Rather, Paul said having a few parked fire trucks and a few fire department personnel on hand could provide some peace of mind to area residents who have recently experienced significant incidents. The Stephen Street fire occurred in an apartment building, while the Kane Street fire occurred in an apartment building.
“It just brings a sense of relief,” Paul said. “We had a serious incident here. The firefighters are here. They care about your safety. In a close-knit community of apartment buildings…people live close together. When the firefighters come in, It's scary. It was pouring rain that night.” “There's a lot of equipment and noise involved. Some people saw flames coming out of their back windows. We tried to reassure them. I’ll be there.”
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Paul said it's important for the department to be present not only during the emergency response, but also in the aftermath of a fire. Paul said authorities will enter some of the apartments to inspect smoke detectors and install new ones if necessary.
“In terms of fire department operations, they’ve been really great,” Paul said. “They were quick to respond. It's great for us as a team to go out and engage with the community and say, unfortunately, this happened, but we're also here in the aftermath. .Maybe it's just a little bit of relief.It's been a long time.'' “
