Second Fire in Four Days on New Haven's Chapel Street Displaces 4 More Residents

Early Morning Fire Hits New Haven's Chapel Street Again

A bedroom fire at 1561 Chapel Street in New Haven displaced four tenants early Friday morning, the second fire on the street in four days. Firefighters responded at 3:51 a.m. on February 27 and had the blaze under control within 20 minutes, according to the New Haven Independent.

No injuries were reported. The American Red Cross is assisting all four displaced residents, the New Haven Independent reported.

The New Haven Fire Department confirmed the fire is unrelated to the three-alarm blaze that struck 1523 Chapel Street on February 24, which displaced 55 people and led to that building's condemnation, according to the New Haven Independent.

Fire at 1561 Chapel Street in New Haven

The fire broke out in a second-floor bedroom of the two-story, six-unit building at 1561 Chapel Street, according to the New Haven Independent. Two tenants from the unit where the fire started and two from a downstairs apartment were displaced — the lower unit sustained water damage from firefighting efforts.

Acting Fire Chief Danny Coughlin confirmed the fire was quickly contained, the New Haven Independent reported. The cause remains under investigation.

The building is owned by Yehuda Leitner of Staten Island, New York, and Simcha Levkowitz of Lakewood, New Jersey, according to property records. No statements from the owners have been made public. The building remains largely habitable aside from the affected units.

Earlier Blaze at Winthrop Terrace Displaced 55 in New Haven

The February 24 fire at 1523 Chapel Street — known as Winthrop Terrace Apartments — was far larger in scale. The three-alarm fire broke out around 11:22 a.m. in the century-old, five-story, 45-unit building and required 55 firefighters to bring under control by 12:37 p.m., according to the New Haven Independent and the Hartford Courant.

Eleven people were rescued, including three pulled from third-story windows. American Medical Response evaluated 22 people for injuries at the scene, but no residents or firefighters were hurt, the Hartford Courant reported.

Fifty-five people were displaced from the building. Mandy Management, the property's owner, covered hotel costs for approximately 30 residents at the La Quinta Inn and Suites on Long Wharf, according to the New Haven Independent. CEO Yudi Gurevitch said the company was "working around the clock to support residents."

Acting Chief Coughlin praised the response, calling it "a really smooth, well run fire," according to the New Haven Independent. Battalion Chief Greg Carroll led rescue operations, with firefighters navigating snow-covered ground that complicated ladder placement.

The building was condemned on February 25 by city Building Department official Lenny Speiller. Displaced tenants were allowed to return briefly to retrieve medication, pets, and personal items, the New Haven Independent reported. Resident accounts suggest the fire may have started from a stovetop left running on the third floor, though the official cause remains under investigation.

59 People Displaced Across Both New Haven Fires

Across the two Chapel Street fires, a total of 59 people have been displaced in less than a week — none with injuries. The Red Cross has provided assistance at both incidents.

The two fires occurred roughly half a mile apart on the same street but are unrelated, according to the fire department. The 1523 Chapel Street building remains condemned, while 1561 Chapel Street is expected to remain occupied aside from the damaged units.

The fire department has not issued additional safety advisories for properties along the Chapel Street corridor. Anyone with information about either fire can contact the New Haven Fire Department at (203) 946-6262 for non-emergency inquiries. The Red Cross can be reached at (860) 678-2700 for residents in need of disaster assistance services.

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