Investigators are looking into what caused a fire at a four-unit apartment building on Housatonic Avenue in New Milford that sent six people to the hospital Thursday morning.
Six fire departments responded to the fire, which officials believe began in the rear of two-story home on Housatonic Avenue around 2 a.m. Thursday.
“I woke up at 2 in the morning and there was a fire coming out of the bathroom,” said Charles Lara, who was on the second floor when the blaze began.
Lara was one of the 11 people in the house at the time. All of them were able to escape before firefighters arrived.
“We all tried to get out as soon as we could make sure everybody got out of there as safe as possible,” Lara said.
Six people, though, were transported to local hospitals, treated for injuries that are not life-threatening.
“There’s a couple people who inhaled a little too much smoke, but I think everyone’s going to be fine,” Lara added.
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Brian Ohman, the fire marshal, said he has not seen any fire detectors in the home so far.
Lara said he was alerted by his roommates.
“They were the ones who warned me because they live closer to the back,” he said. “They came running to the room. They said, ‘Get out of the house, there’s a fire.’”
A state Police fire investigation unit responded. Officials did not say what started the fire.
Ohman said this is an active investigation and his report should be released by the end of next week.
