30 Firefighters Battle New Milford Fire Through Icy Conditions and Bitter Cold
Firefighters from several departments in our local area battled an intense blaze on Candlewood Lake Road North Saturday (December 21).
According to Water Witch Hose Company No. 2 in New Milford, they were the first department dispatched after a report of a structure fire on the New Milford side of Candlewood Lake Road just before 7:00 PM. Once it was determined that the fire was in fact fully involved, tankers and firefighters from Brookfield, Gaylordsville and Northville were called in.
During that time, the dispatch center was reportedly inundated with several more calls about the local fire, which, by that point, had flames large enough to be seen throughout the Route 7 valley.
Water Witch Hose Co. says that about 30 firefighters were able to knock the blaze down by 8:30 PM, but not without fighting through icy conditions and bitterly freezing temperatures. The burning structure suffered a partial collapse during the fire, which made for an extensive overhaul that first responders were able to clear by 9:45 PM.
In addition to the aforementioned departments that were on scene, the Bridgewater Fire Department provided coverage at the empty New Milford firehouse, while companies from Kent, Washington, Hawleyville and Stony Hill back filled for mutual aid.
While the firefighters worked to control the blaze, Candlewood Lake Rd. was briefly closed by members of the New Milford Police Department and New Milford Public Works worked to keep the tanker from icing up completely.
Thankfully, no injuries have been reported.
Here is a gallery with some more photos from the scene courtesy of Water Witch Hose Company: