East Lyme ― Firefighters extinguished a fire that broke out Monday morning at a two-family home at 4 Columbus Avenue in Niantic.

There were no injuries to residents or firefighters, but the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army responded to the scene to help residents with relocation, said East Lyme Fire Marshal William Bundy.

Two residents temporarily were displaced, and the Red Cross is helping to meet their emergency needs, including having a safe place to go and a change of clothes, said Sue Rochester-Bolen, senior director of emergency services for the American Red Cross.

The fire damaged the exterior of the building and also caused smoke damage to the inside the building, he said. One resident was home at the time of the fire, but was out of the building by the time firefighters arrived.

The cause of the fire, which was reported at 8:31 a.m., remains under investigation, he said.

Columbus Avenue temporarily was closed from Main Street to the St. Agnes Church parking lot, but has since reopened.

Fire departments from the Niantic, Flanders, Old Lyme, Waterford, and Old Saybrook fire departments responded, along with East Lyme police, Bundy said. Lawrence + Memorial Hospital paramedics also responded as a precaution.

Water precautions

The East Lyme Water Department sent out a message at 9:30 a.m. Monday that water customers in the area may have discolored water due to the fire. The water department said the discolored water was not a health threat, but recommended people not drink the water, wait until the water clears before doing laundry, and not use hot water.

The water department said it would flush hydrants and pipes on Columbus Avenue and Main Street to improve the water quality.

“Customers can flush pipes in their building/homes by running a cold-water faucet (a bathtub faucet or outside spigot works well) to help clear the sediment,” the water department said in the message posted on the East Lyme Public Safety Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/elpublicsafety.

“When flushing occurs, sediment that accumulates in the water main becomes disturbed and temporarily suspended in the water causing a brown, red, orange, or yellow color,” the water department explained. “This disturbance usually lasts for approximately two to four hours after which time the sediment will settle out and the water will be clear.”

The water department also posted specific instructions for people who were doing the laundry when the water became discolored. The department advised people to rewash their laundry when the water is clear, use a rust stain remover or regular detergent, and not use chlorine bleach because chlorine can react with iron and cause a permanent stain.

People with questions can contact the East Lyme Water Department at (860) 691-4104.