Woman rescued from Groton house fire

Groton - Firefighters rescued an elderly woman from an early-morning fire Saturday at a home on Route 117 that sent four residents to the hospital with smoke-related injuries.

Fire and police personnel responded to 1505 North Road (Route 117) after receiving a report about 4 a.m. of a fire with a person possibly trapped in the home. The first officers and firefighters on the scene confirmed that three occupants of the home had escaped the flames already, but a fourth remained inside.

Firefighters from Poquonnock Bridge Engine 32 went into the house, whose basement was fully engulfed in flames with the first floor enveloped in thick, black smoke, to search for the fourth occupant, whom they found unconscious in a back bedroom. The firefighters carried the elderly woman to the door and transferred her to other firefighters on the porch.

All four occupants appeared to have suffered from smoke inhalation, according to police, and were treated at an area hospital. A Poquonnock Bridge firefighter was treated for burns to his knees at Pequot Health Center and later released. Information on the conditions of the residents of the building was unavailable Saturday night.

Two Groton Town police officers were injured trying to rescue the elderly woman and were treated and released from Lawrence & Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation.

Groton Town Police, the Office of the State Fire Marshal and local fire officials are investigating the fire. Police said Route 117 was closed until 11 a.m. because of the blaze.

The Poquonnock Bridge Fire Department also sent other units to the fire that performed fire-attack and water-supply functions.