NL fire leaves scores homeless

New London — A two-alarm fire gutted a three-story, 36-unit apartment complex at 283 Willetts Ave. late Tuesday night, leaving up to 100 residents homeless.

The fire ripped through the Parkside West apartments just before 10 p.m., burning into the early-morning hours. Firefighters said people were hanging out of windows on all sides of the building when the first crews responded.

As of midnight, there were no reports of fatalities. Fire officials said three people had been taken to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.

A South East Area Transit bus was called in by city officials to transport displaced residents to the Martin Center on Broad Street. The Red Cross and the New London and Providence branches of the Salvation Army were on the scene to help the displaced.

New London Fire Chief Ronald Samul said the city’s hydrants were running at maximum capacity and "were taking every drop" as firefighters battled the blaze.

As the building burned, Helle Backman, who said she has lived at the complex for about six months, was sobbing outside. She said she lives in a one-bedroom apartment on the third floor and called 911 after hearing the fire alarm.

Backman said she grabbed a flashlight and ran down the third-floor hallway with a wet towel over her head trying to signal the fire trucks before being rescued by firefighters on a ladder truck. She said she’s still worried about the fate of her two cats, which were left in the apartment.

Preston Kirkwood, who lives on the third floor, said he was in his bedroom talking on the telephone and eating a grinder when he first became aware of the fire.

"I heard a popping, a banging sound," he said. "I thought somebody was breaking into my apartment. I went to my kitchen and it was filled with smoke.

"I got out. I knocked on my neighbor’s door and said, ‘Call 911.’ I didn’t even grab my phone."

The eastern side and front of the three-story building were engulfed in flames by 10:06 p.m., when firefighters were first able to put water on the flames. But soon after, the horns on the fire trucks started blaring, signaling all firefighters to get out of the building.

Residents and witnesses said the fire started well before the first 911 call. Allison Kennedy said it was about 9 p.m. when she dropped off Talana Dolphin, who lives on the first floor.

"We smelled burnt chicken," Kennedy said.

"It smelled like somebody was frying chicken with old grease," Dolphin added.

About 40 minutes later, Dolphin called Kennedy to come back.

"She said, ‘My house is on fire,’ " Kennedy said. "I live right around the corner, so I came back."

Anissa Mrowka lives in apartment B-8. She and Reginald McClellan said they smelled smoke when they left at about 8:40 p.m. to get a movie at the Stop & Shop on Route 1 in Waterford.

"We thought it was a something on somebody’s stove," Mrowka said. "We didn’t think (anything) of it. When we came back ... "

As soon as ladder trucks arrived on the scene, firefighters began rescuing people from the top floor. At least three people were taken down the ladder at the front of the building as smoke billowed around them.

Kevin Seamans, who lives across the street at 13 Viets St., said his girlfriend heard sirens, so he walked outside and saw the trucks. He said his neighbor heard people screaming from the third floor, trying to get out.

Some first-floor tenants got out early, while others meandered out and walked beneath firetruck ladders to get to safety.

"They’re not going to save this one," a bystander named Kenny said. "This one is a goner."

Robin Brailey talked on her cell phone with a friend who was working at Electric Boat in Groton and watching the flames from the shipyard across the river.

Heather Pelletier, who said she was reading a Sue Grafton novel, said she’s lived at Parkside West for seven months. "I heard the alarm go off, opened the apartment door, saw smoke coming down the hallway and just ran out of the building down the stairs," she said.

Michael Lambert, who has lived on the first floor in the back of the building for a year and a half, said he was watching TV and eating dinner while getting ready to go to bed. He said he smelled smoke, ran out into the hallway and started knocking on people’s doors, alerting them there was a fire. He said he tried to make it to the third floor, but couldn’t because of heavy smoke.

"I know there’s some older people who live in the building," Lambert said. "I just hope they got out OK."

After the firefighters evacuated the building, they began fighting the fire from a defensive standpoint, knocking down flames from the blazing roofline that was sending clouds of black smoke into the air.

More than 150 people, many with video and still cameras, watched the inferno, which several people said could be seen from Colman Street. Smoke from the fire clouded Ocean Avenue toward Bank Street and Willetts Avenue down to Montauk Avenue.

Several public officials were at the scene, including City Councilor Mike Buscetto, who said he arrived shortly after the blaze started and saw firefighters rescue a man from the building.

Police Chief Margaret Ackley, Mayor Rob Pero, Councilor Adam Sprecace and City Manager Martin Berliner were all on scene at 11:30 p.m.

"We’re glad that it looks like everybody is all right," Pero said. "The fire department is doing a great job."

c.potter@theday.com

Day staff writers Stephen Chupaska and Julianne Hanckel contributed to this report.