Clinton firefighters, responding to the woman’s 911 call, found the attic of the Arrigoni Distributors building at 41 Commerce St.
choked with smoke from the fire.
The Arrigoni offices occupy the first floor of the building; two apartments are on the second.
The woman, whose name was not available, left her apartment when firefighters arrived. With the fire and smoke largely confined to the attic, John Arrigoni, the tenant of the second apartment, also was able to safely evacuate his residence, fire and police officials said.
Clinton firefighters, assisted by Madison, Westbrook, Killingworth and Old Saybrook departments, were able to extinguish the blaze within 30 minutes after cutting large holes in the roof to vent smoke, fire officials said.
The interior of the building suffered heavy smoke and water damage, and workers spent most of the day removing debris from the structure.
Owned by Cheslo and Ann Arrigoni and with an assessed value of $181,000, the property is home to several Arrigoni family businesses, including the manufacture of custom-made marine cabinetry.
Business operations were curtailed, and the tenants forced to relocate, until power can be restored to the structure and damage repaired, fire officials said.
While initial reports linked the fire to an electrical problem, Fire Chief Hugh Allen said the cause of the blaze still is under investigation.
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| İNew Haven Register 2000 |
