May 04--NEW LONDON -- City firefighters rescued two people from a burning house at 23 Moore Ave. early today and brought the two-alarm fire under control before it could spread to nearby buildings.
Battalion Chief Marc Melanson of the New London Fire Department said when the fire company arrived at 6:16 a.m. there was heavy fire in the rear of the building and heavy smoke on the second floor of the 2 1/2 story wood frame home.
Melanson said there was a person on the roof and that a resident sitting on the first floor porch reported that there was an occupant on the first floor. The fire crew forced the front door open to find a man who was conscious, but dazed, on the first floor, Melanson said.
"He walked out of the building with no obvious serious injuries," Melanson said.
The fire company declared a second alarm shortly after arriving at the scene and was helped by the Firefighter Assistant and Search (FAST) teams from the Naval Submarine Base and Mohegan Sun and by Waterford firefighters.
The fire was brought under control by 6:42 a.m, with three water lines operating at one point, according to Melanson. Several people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Several cats did not survive the fire, he said.
The city Fire Marshal's office is investigating the cause and origin of the fire, which rendered the home uninhabitable. The American Red Cross was assisting the two men who lived at the home and a third man who was staying overnight, according to Sue Rochester Bolen, senior director of disaster services for the area Red Cross chapter.
Public records indicate the home is owned by Thomas and Michelle Fusco.
Copyright 2013 - The Day, New London, Conn.
