Willimantic

Police, Driver of Dumpster Truck Rescue People From Fire in Willimantic

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Willimantic police detectives and the driver of a dumpster truck rescued people from a burning building on Main Street in Willimantic Tuesday morning and three men have been transported to hospitals.

Lt. Matt Solak, of the Willimantic Police Department, said Willimantic police detectives were returning from another call for service when they saw fire from the windows before the fire had been reported.

One person was hanging from a second-floor window, officials said.

Two detectives -- a SWAT team medic and a K9 officer - ran to help.

Willimantic Fire Chief Marc Scrivener said the call came in at 8:53 a.m., fire crews were out responding to another incident, and police started calling back to the fire department for a ladder.

In the meantime, the driver of a dumpster truck who stopped to let one of the police officers go saw what was happening and came to the rescue as well, officials said.

They managed to get the truck up against the building and the person who was hanging from the second floor jumped to the top of the dumpster truck.

The detective started treating him, providing medical aid, and stabilizing him, officials said.

A vehicle from the UConn Fire Department also responded and got a ladder up to the top of the dumpster truck, Solak said.

The Willimantic K9 officer went to the third floor of the building and got one person out. That person and another person who was on the second floor were taken to the hospital, officials said.

Scrivener said the person who jumped from the second floor was transported by Lifestar medical transport helicopter to be treated for smoke inhalation and burns.

The other two people were also taken for medical assistance.

The fire was knocked down before 9:30 a.m.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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