The Litchfield Fire Department responded swiftly to a reported structure fire at 836 S Chestnut St. On February 10, 2025. The prompt and coordinated action taken by first responders played a critical role in containing the fire to a single bedroom, minimizing damage to the overall structure. At 1:39 pm, Montgomery County 911 dispatched the Litchfield Fire Department to the scene of a fire with visible smoke coming from the residence. Prior to departing the station, mutual aid was requested to assist with a working fire. Litchfield Fire Captain 823 arrived on the scene and quickly assessed the situation by performing a 360-degree evaluation of the building, establishing command, and confirming smoke was visible inside the structure. Litchfield Engine 810, staffed with five personnel, responded to the scene. Engine 802 responded to the scene staffed with two personnel. Squad 805, Utility 891, and Chief 800 also responded to thescene. Command reported that the fire was contained to a bedroom in the downstairs apartment, and mutual aid was canceled.
Firefighters immediately deployed a 1 3/4 inch pre-connected hose line to the front door of the apartment and proceeded to conduct a primary search. The search revealed no occupants in the apartment, but one dog and two cats were safely found and removed. Firefighters worked to revive one of the cats that suffered from smoke inhalation but it later succumbed to its injuries. The search team located the fire, which was contained to the middle of the floor in the bedroom, and firefighters used a water extinguisher to knock down the flames. Additional hose lines were then used to extinguish the remaining hot spots. The upstairs apartment was also checked for any signs of fire extension, but only light smoke was found. Ventilation was initiated in both apartments using positive pressure ventilation (PPV) fans to clear the remaining smoke.
Following the successful containment and suppression efforts, the department investigator began an investigation into the cause and origin of the fire. At this time the cause remains under investigation.
The City of Litchfield Fire Department would like to remind residents of the importance of fire safety and the need to have working smoke detectors in every home. The quick actions of our dedicated first responders prevented what could have been a much more devastating situation.
Picture: Firefighter Joey Quinn works to revive a cat that had suffered from smoke inhalation.
