Southwestern Connecticut firefighters saved a sleeping man after a chicken coop barn fire spread to his home early Tuesday, the Fairfield Fire Department said.
Firefighters responded to a call just before 5 a.m. Tuesday concerning a Fairfield chicken coop barn that had caught fire, according to the department. When firefighters arrived, they saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the two-story coop, and the fire was reaching a nearby home.
An aggressive effort was made to extinguish the blaze while a search was on for anyone inside the burning structure who might be trapped. Firefighters found and rescued a man who had been sleeping at the time of the fire, the department said.
The man wasn't injured in the blaze, and he was reunited with the rest of his family about 100 feet from the fire. One of the family members had suffered a minor injury trying to free chickens from the coop, authorities said.
"The quick actions of the first arriving engine company prevented the loss of life to the occupant who was asleep and unaware of the fire," Assistant Fire Chief Roger Caisse said. "Fires like this should serve as a reminder about the importance of having working smoke detectors to alert occupants and an established meeting place outside in the event of a fire."
Cooling water was applied to propane tanks located in the chicken coop to avoid a possible explosion, the department said. The fire was brought under control in about 30 minutes.
Units from the Westport and Bridgeport fire departments also helped with the fire.
No firefighters were hurt putting out the fire, and the cause is under investigation, the department said.
