UPDATED: Residents Lose Garage, Cars In Fire, Evacuate

The American Red Cross is helping the family of four–two adults and two children–after the Friday evening fire on Cranberry Drive in Montville. The Red Cross is providing financial assistance for emergency clothing and food needs, according to a press release. 

The release said that the Red Cross is also providing blankets and comfort kits, containing age and gender appropriate personal care items such as toothbrushes, deodorant, shaving supplies and other items a family might not have been able to gather in the rush to escape the fire.  Children's kits include a stuffed toy. 

 The fire occurred in a single-family house and appeared to have started in the garage, according to Oakdale Fire Chief Gary Murphy, and spread to the house. He said the fire was called in about 6:00 p.m. and it took firefighters approximately 50 minutes to get the fire under control.

"It was a big fire," he said. "The garage was a total loss."

Murphy said that residents had two cars in the garage and those were also lost in the fire.

The fire spread to the house and burned some portion of it, Murphy said the residents would not be able to stay in the house for a while. 

No injuries reported and the fire is being investigated by the fire marshall.

Murphy said that Montville, Mohgan, Oakdale, and Chesterfield responded. One tanker division Bozrah, East Great plain, Gardner Lake, Salem, Colchester were there also.

For more information about the Red Cross and how you can help, visit www.ctredcross.org.