NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A New Haven firefighter died and another was injured battling a house fire early Wednesday as they and their colleagues rescued two residents, including an 84-year-old woman, officials said.
Firefighters were called to the blaze on Valley Street at about 12:45 a.m., Fire Chief John Alston said. When they arrived, they saw “heavy fire and flames,” he said.
The first responders rescued a woman who owned the home and a man who lived on the second floor, fire department investigator Douglas Wardlaw said. The woman was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and was expected to survive, and the man was treated at the scene, officials said.
One firefighter reported being lost and disoriented while battling the blaze, and a search team was sent to find him, Alston said. Two firefighters were found unconscious on the second floor of the building, and one later died of his injuries. Their names were not immediately released.
“I want him to be remembered doing what he loved to do and that he sacrificed his life to save someone else,” Alston said at a news conference.
The other firefighter suffered respiratory injuries and was taken to a hospital, the chief said.
“This is a very difficult time in our department,” Alston said. “Many of our members are hurting. We ask that the public keep them in their prayers.”
Mayor Justin Elicker said he was proud of how the firefighters supported one another and the family of their fallen colleague.
“This is such a challenging time for our community, and to lose someone that is truly a hero, that went into harm’s way to ensure the safety of others, this will be something that impacts us for months and years to come,” Elicker said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Wardlaw said investigators are focused on the basement as the possible origin.
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