French Fry Oil Destroys Peace Street Apartment

The kitchen of the apartment at 16 Peace St., was destroyed by fire Saturday afternoon, and two people were left homeless, said Deputy Fire Marshall Mark Perry, who investigated the apartment fire in Danbury.

Perry said the fire appeared to start in a pan of cooking oil on the stove.

"We got that from what we saw and talking to the tenant," Perry said.

"The fire was quickly contained and extinguished by Danbury firefighters," said Deputy Fire Chief Bernie Meehan in a prepared release. "The fire was fought by four career fire companies and three volunteer companies. Danbury EMS stood by at the scene, and transported one career firefighter who injured his ankle."

Perry said the firefighter didn't want to go to the hospital, but he appeared to have twisted his ankle and the officers in charge wanted it checked.

Paul Shipman, chief communications officer with the Red Cross, reported the Red Cross is helping two adults with emergency housing, food and clothing after the Saturday fire in Danbury, as well as helping people in Meriden and New London after Saturday fires in those towns.

Much of the kitchen was destroyed, and firefighters threw destroyed kithen items out of a window that was also destroyed in the fire. The walls were destroyed, leaving only insulation between the studs in the kitchen.

"It is uninhabitable," Perry said. "The Red Cross is looking after the tenants."

Perry said one tenant was home and two people live in the apartment. The blaze did not spread to the other two apartments in the building.

"There was smoke damage all the way up," said Deputy Fire Marshal Perry, who noted the smoke detectors were working at the time of the fire. While Perry was speaking, a smoke detector sounded in a small bathroom off the kitchen.

JP Maquire, an emergency services contractor, was boarding up the apartment for the night by 4 p.m.