New London

Fire Destroys 1 New London Home, Damages Others

One firefighter was injured.

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A wind-driven fire destroyed one home on Mott Avenue in New London Monday morning and damaged four others.

Emergency crews evacuated homes on the streets as firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.

One firefighter was transported to the hospital to be treated for a knee injury, and the chief said he is doing okay.

Firefighters from several departments responded to the fire, including from Norwich and Waterford, and the fire has been knocked down. Crews continue to put out hotspots.

The home that was destroyed collapsed as a result of the three-alarm fire, crews said.

Brian Drutman said he noticed smoke coming from his neighbor's house just before 9:30 a.m. and he called 911.

There was a ball of fire consuming the house, he said. The fire spread to nearby homes, including Drutman's, who said he is just grateful no one was hurt.

"I’m grateful to the fire department for coming quickly and keeping this from being a disaster for all of the homes here,” Drutman added.

New London's fire chief said the wind was changing direction and creating a challenge for crews.

The three homes with the most significant damage are seasonal homes.

Waterford Emergency Management said power was out in the southeast area of town due to the fire. They said Eversource shut down the circuit for safety reasons.

An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire.

Heavy smoke from the fire was visible from sky cameras.

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