Firefighters extinguish wind-driven house fire in Groton City
Groton — Firefighters battled a blaze Monday afternoon that extensively damaged a home at 62 Slocomb Terrace in Groton City.
The fire broke out about 2:30 p.m. Firefighters from the City of Groton, Poquonnock Bridge, Electric Boat, Naval Submarine Base, Mystic, Old Mystic and New London all responded as flames and smoke poured from the home. Paramedics from Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and Groton Ambulance also arrived on the scene.
Slocomb Terrace is located between Fort Griswold and Thames Street, and the street was closed off as first responders worked to extinguish the fire.
The blaze began as a porch fire, but extended into the front part of the house and into the rest of the structure, as heavy winds blew up the hill, said City of Groton Fire Chief Robert Tompkins.
The couple that lived in the home were not injured and had evacuated by the time first responders arrived, he said. The American Red Cross has reached out to assist the homeowners.
The Salvation Army canteen was on scene for the first responders and also provided blankets to the homeowners.
One firefighter was not feeling well due to overexertion, but the ambulance crew checked on him and he was doing OK, Tompkins said.
The fire had started blistering the paint and cracking windows of the next door house, but firefighters were able to contain it to the house at 62 Slocomb Terrace, Tompkins said.
He said about 50 firefighters responded and did a "great job" extinguishing the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, he said.
Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.
