An early morning blaze at a multifamily home at 70 Union St. in Norwich displaced 13 people. It started on the third floor, where a mother, father and their 3-month-old infant twin boys were sleeping.
Around 2 a.m., Mona Morin, a neighbor, saw flames coming out of the third-floor porch and two front windows and called 911.
When the Norwich Fire Department arrived, they determined it was a two-alarm fire and called for mutual aid.
The fire department was concerned about fire spreading because homes in the neighborhood are so close together. They were also concerned about the age of the building and the fact that high-tension lines were right in front of the home.
“(We had) access problems, water supply problems, typical stuff we go through on a daily basis. The guys did a great job. This was one hell of a stop,” Norwich fire chief Kenneth Scandariato said.
Six children and seven adults were displaced by the massive fire. The family in the apartment where the fire began made it out safely but all four were checked out at the hospital. Damaso Rolon said his sons are fine and out of the hospital. He thanks God his family is OK.
The Red Cross is assisting the displaced families. The Norwich Fire Marshal is investigating to determine what caused the fire to begin.
