STAMFORD, Conn. — A man died early Friday after firefighters battled a fast-moving house fire on Woodmere Road where residents attempted desperate rescue efforts before crews arrived, authorities said.
The fire broke out around 4:21 a.m. at 108 Woodmere Road, prompting multiple emergency calls to the Stamford 911 Center reporting flames inside the home, according to the Stamford Fire Department.
Dispatchers sent a structural box alarm assignment that included three engine companies, a truck company, rescue crews, command staff and a rapid intervention team. While firefighters were responding, crews learned that a person remained trapped inside the burning house.
When Engine Company 5 arrived at 4:26 a.m., firefighters encountered heavy flames pouring from the front of the 1½-story wood-frame residence.
Firefighters Found Victim After Knocking Down Flames
Crews immediately stretched a hose line into the home while other firefighters searched for victims inside.
The Stamford Fire Department said crews encountered intense fire conditions on the first floor just inside the front entrance, complicating rescue efforts during the critical first minutes of the response.
By 4:35 a.m. — roughly nine minutes after the first engine arrived — firefighters had knocked down the main body of the fire.
During the interior operation, crews discovered a male victim inside the home who did not survive, according to fire officials.
Three other residents escaped before firefighters arrived.
Two people were transported by Stamford EMS to a hospital after suffering injuries while trying to rescue the victim before emergency crews reached the scene.
Key Points
• A man died in an early morning house fire Friday on Woodmere Road in Stamford
• Firefighters encountered heavy flames and learned someone remained trapped inside
• Two residents were hospitalized after attempting to rescue the victim before crews arrived
State Fire Officials Join Investigation
The fire was declared fully under control at 5:02 a.m., according to the incident commander.
Following containment, the Stamford Fire Marshal Division and Stamford Police Department launched a joint investigation into the cause and origin of the fire.
The Connecticut Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Arson Task Force were also requested to assist with the investigation, which is standard procedure in fatal fires.
Officials have not released the identity of the victim or disclosed what may have sparked the blaze.
Eversource crews responded to the property to secure utilities connected to the home while Stamford EMS personnel remained on scene monitoring firefighters during overhaul operations.
The Stamford Fire Department extended condolences to the victim’s family and credited firefighters, EMS crews and supporting agencies for their rapid response during the deadly incident.
The investigation into the fire remains ongoing.