Update: Westport Firefighters Respond to Norwalk Blaze

NORWALK – A fire in a three-story apartment building in uptown Norwalk required a general alarm for all of the city's on-duty firefighters and apparatus, and calls for mutual aid from Wilton, Fairfield, Westport, Stamford and the Rowayton Volunteer Fire Department.

Westport responded with an engine truck and a ladder truck. Chief Christopher Ackley and other Westport firefighters answered the call for assistance.

The fire at 45 Wall St. was reported at 4:44 a.m. by a passing police officer who noticed smoke coming from the building. Within minutes of the first engine company arriving, it became obvious there was an extensive amount of fire in the building from the basement to the roof and additional companies would have to be summoned.

At least two tenants were seriously injured when they jumped out a third-floor window and landed on the Danbury Branch railroad tracks.

At least one firefighter was also taken to Norwalk Hospital.

The first Danbury-to-Norwalk train on the branch was canceled, and commuters were transported by bus. The branch was reopened to rail traffic at about 7 a.m., but trains were traveling through the area at 5 miles an hour.

The fire apparently began in a two-story concrete structure that extends off the back of the apartment building. The fire crawled up the back of the building and got into the cockloft, from which it then burned through the roof.

Fire trucks could not access space behind the building, so firefighters had to stretch hoses through the two restaurants on the ground floor and out their rear exits. The fire grew in size to the point where all firefighters were ordered to evacuate the building.

Although most of the fire was confined to the back of the building, all of the apartments sustained heat and smoke damage, leaving the building uninhabitable.

Red Cross personnel were at the scene to provide temporary housing for the tenants.

The two restaurants on the ground floor were already out of business. A poster taped to the front glass of one of them advertised the grand opening of a dance club.

Norwalk responded with 32 firefighters, two ladder trucks, five engines and a rescue squad. Wilton provided an engine and a ladder truck, and Stamford sent a ladder truck. No one was available from the Fairfield Fire Department to describe what type of apparatus they provided.

Norwalk Fire Chief Denis McCarthy declared the fire under control at 8:07 a.m.