Fire Destroys Stillman Avenue Home, Kills Dog (UPDATE)

Danbury Firefighters worked from before 8 a.m. to nearly 10:30 a.m. to extinguish a persistent fire at 11 Stillman Ave.

When firefighters left the New Street fire department headquarters, they saw the smoke, said Fire Chief Geoff Herald, and he said a second alarm sounded.

"We knew we had work to do," Herald said.

Amanda Beckenbach, who lives in the second floor apartment where the fire appears to have been hottest, said firefighters were able to save five of the six dogs in her apartment.

"They got the lady's dog downstairs," Beckenbach said. "I'd just left the apartment for a doctor's appointment," when the fire broke out.

She got a ride home after getting a call about the fire.

Firefighter Nick Velotti took two dogs out of the second floor apartment himself.

"They were big dogs. They were down in the smoke," Velotti said. "You don't see much in there. You could hear them crying."

Velotti said he first checked the dog cages, which were empty, and then he followed the cries to the dogs.

Fire Marshal Jordan Leach said the department used respirators made for dogs to help them recover. He said one dog walked to the animal control van. The second was carried. The surviving dogs were taken to the animal hospital for treatment.

Fire Chief Herald said one firefighter was taken to the hospital for observation. No one appeared to have been injured in the fire.

Herald said he does not know the cause of the fire yet, and Danbury Fire Marshal Leach said they hadn't gone into the house as of 10:30 a.m.

The Danbury Unified Neighborhood Inspection Team cited this house in 2008, under a previous owner, for having an illegal apartment in the attic and basement. It is zoned as a two-family home.

The house was foreclosed on in 2010, said UNIT Coordinator Shawn Stillman. It was purchased by new owners in 2011.

Firefighters said there was evidence of an illegal apartment in the basement Tuesday.

"This is why we do what we do," Stillman said. "People think we're being hard, but we're trying to save lives. Over-crowding and illegal apartments can cost lives."

Stillman said the house will be empty until it is restored after the fire, but after that, the UNIT will talk to the owner about the city's expectations for a two-family home. Illegal apartments in the attic or basement are not allowed.

The American Red Cross's Paul Shipman reported the Red Cross is helping five people – three adults and two children – in two families after a multi-family fire on Stillman Avenue in Danbury. The Red Cross is providing help with emergency housing, food and clothing needs to both families. A third family at the scene declined assistance. In all, eight people were made homeless by the fire.

 The Red Cross is also providing comfort kits containing personal care items such as toothbrushes, deodorant, shaving supplies and other items a family might not have been able to gather in the rush to escape the fire.