Story and Photos by
RICK BURNHAM

On Monday June 3, 2002 firefighters from the five fire districts in Enfield CT responded to a working fire at 50 New King Street in the Thompsonville Section of town. The first police officer on scene reported he had fire showing from the second floor.

The first engine arrived just seconds behind him to find fire out of the two front windows of the second floor. Firefighters immediately began an aggressive interior attack but had difficulty making it to the second floor because the stairs were hidden in the old balloon frame constructed house.

Firefighters eventually entered through a window via ground ladder and through the interior stairway. At one point the building was evacuated because the fire had dropped down into the first floor stairs and doorway cutting off the crews exit. Two firefighters exited onto the front porch roof, one came out via ground ladder and a fourth was picked by an aerial in the rear of the building.

The fire which remains under investigation was under control in about 90 minutes. Six firefighters sustained various injuries. One suffered second degree burns to his wrist, one firefighter twisted an ankle, one had debris in his eyes and 3 others suffered from heat exhaustion and light headedness.