Circle Lanes Bowling Alley AC Unit Explosion, Fire Injures Worker: FD

EAST HAVEN, CT —East Haven firefighters were pressed into service Tuesday afternoon, first battling a Lenox Street porch fire and then, less than an hour later, a fire and explosion in an air conditioning unit at the Main Street bowling alley.

At around 4 p.m., East Haven firefighters were called to a reported building fire at 91 Lenox St., Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli said.

When first responders arrived, they encountered a front porch fire which extended to the inside of the house, Marcarellli said. It's suspected that the blaze involved a gas meter outside the house, though Marcarelli said the cause is still under investigation.

Two people and a dog were rescued by fire department personnel from inside the building, he said. A firefighter sustained minor injuries, the fire chief said. Firefighters had the fire under control within 20 minutes, Marcarelli said, adding that all East Haven Fire Department units were operating with mutual assistance from Branford and North Branford fire departments.

Then, less than an hour after the Lenox Street call, just before 5 p.m., firefighters rushed to Circle Lanes bowling alley at 525 Main St., for a reported fire and or explosion on the roof, Marcarelli said. He said the explosion and resulting fire began in an air conditioning unit and a venue maintenance worker was injured, sustaining burns to his face and arms resulting from an electrical explosion, Marcarelli said.

When firefighters arrived, the fire was out, personnel disconnected power to the building and checked to make sure the fire hadn't spread. It had not.

The bowling alley explosion and fire are under investigation, the fire chief said.