02/08/2007

70 residents forced to flee Sawmill complex

Marissa Yaremich, Register Staff

WEST HAVEN — Less than 11 hours after a fire ripped through the four-story Sawmill Road apartment complex and forced more than 70 residents into Wednesday’s pre-dawn chill, Millicent Daniels returned to gather belongings and recall the "nightmare" she endured. After blaring smoke alarms woke her and her family shortly after 1 a.m., Daniels said she attempted to flee the building. But a nearby stairwell was filled with choking black smoke. "I couldn’t get down (the stairwell) because it was all black. That when I ran to this exit," she said, pointing to an exterior door located at the western side of Heritage Manor Apartments, 421 Sawmill Road. The two-alarm fire left more than 70 residents homeless, as well as one man hospitalized for apparent burns to his airways. West Haven Fire Chief William S. Johnson Jr. said the fire broke out in the living room of the injured man’s second-floor apartment. The unidentified man fled his apartment and began banging on doors in an attempt to wake sleeping neighbors. He was transported for treatment at Bridgeport Hospital Burn Center, Johnson said. Police spokesman Officer Martin Garcia said three officers — Andy Sanchez, Jeffrey Carleton and Brian Bogert — rushed into the building to help rescue residents. Sanchez and Carleton were treated and released from area hospitals for smoke inhalation. Fire officials responded after state police received a call from a passer-by who spotted the smoke, Johnson said. Within moments, Johnson said numerous phone calls streamed in from the complex’s residents, who were "scrambling" out of the 33 units. Firefighters from all three fire districts conducted a full search and rescue and put out the fire in about 15 minutes, Johnson said. The cause of the fire, which caused "considerable" damage throughout the building, is still under investigation, though it doesn’t appear suspicious, he said. The injured resident left his door open as he alerted neighbors, which unfortunately allowed the smoke and heat to fill the hallway, Johnson said. "The victim did a good job. He woke up a lot of people by yelling and screaming in the hallway," Johnson said. Johnson also commended the American Red Cross for helping the city place 14 families, or a total of 23 people, in temporary shelters. The remaining residents sought refuge with family and friends, he added. Johnson said the majority of residents, who were temporarily sheltered at the Police Department, were allowed to return to the scene about two hours after the fire was under control so they could retrieve any medications and valuables. The University of New Haven and Orange police helped local authorities shuttle the individuals to and from the complex, according to local police. It was not clear when residents will be able to return because the building is currently deemed uninhabitable because of broken windows, smoke and heat damage and inoperable safety lights. Marissa Yaremich can be reached at myaremich@nhregister.comor 789-5742.