CT Fire Forces Occupants to Jump; 50 Pets Rescued

Three residents were forced to jump to safety and 50 pets were rescued as fire swept through a mixed occupancy building in Westport housing a residence and pet boarding facility.

Firefighter and police were dispatched to the mixed occupancy building for a commercial fire alarm. Westport police arrived and reported visible fire coming from the building, according to a Facebook post by the Town of Westport Fire Department.

Fire officials said the occupants were awakened by smoke detectors but were unable to exit due to the fire. All three occupants were forced to jump from a second-story window to safety.

Fire crews deployed multiple handlines to control the fire and conduct searches confirming the occupants on the second floor had escaped.

Westport police officers and firefighters removed close to 50 dogs and cats from the boarding facility. 

Officials said two pets in the apartment were killed in the fire, the animals from the boarding facility are being cared for by Town House for Dogs.