Branford Apartment Fire Leaves Unit Uninhabitable, No Injuries

BRANFORD, CT — A fire Monday morning, Oct. 26, at Parkside Village II in Branford was quickly contained, but the building inspector deemed the apartment where it started uninhabitable; no injuries were reported.

The Branford Fire Department said in a news release that the property manager called 911 at around 11:40 a.m. and reported that the entire apartment was burning. Branford Emergency Communications received an alarm report from the monitoring service at roughly that time.

The fire originated in building A, unit 3, at the 40-unit complex at 3 Block Island Road. The complex is home primarily to older residents, according to fire officials.

Indian Neck-Pine Orchard, Engine 9, reached the scene within minutes of dispatch and brought the fire under control, limiting damage to the apartment where it began, officials said. The apartment had significant fire damage, and several others needed ventilation. Patch reported that units stayed at the scene until about 12:30 p.m.

The resident of the burning apartment was not home. Fire Marshal Rob Dobuzinsky ruled the fire accidental. A mattress was in contact with the stovetop next to the door while the apartment was being cleaned out and furniture moved, and a stove knob was inadvertently turned on, fire officials said.

The Branford Fire Department is coordinating with property management to determine whether any other residents in the building will need to move, Patch reported.

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