Knowlton St. 2nd Alarm (Bridgeport, CT) 12/24/12

BRIDGEPORT, CT – At approximately 3:00 am on December 24, 2012, the Bridgeport Fire Department was dispatched to a commercial building fire at 33 Knowlton Street. First in companies found extremely heavy smoke banked down in the street and quickly deduced the fire’s location in the 1 story commercial that housed a woodworking company. The fire appeared to have started in the basement but quickly spread throughout the structure due to the heavy fire load of the woodworking business and its accompanying paints and solvents. The 12,000 square foot structure took a full second alarm to get the blaze under control, but companies would remain on scene sporadically for the next few days to keep tabs on the smoldering debris. This was to be the first of six major fires that would ravage Bridgeport this Christmas Eve. A string of arson fires in vacants throughout the City’s Hollow section would keep the members busy for most of the day. Stratford, Fairfield, Easton, Shelton and Trumbull fire departments would also be called in to help cover the taxed Bridgeport Fire Department.