Crime & Safety

Sandy Hook Homeowners Escape Fire Uninjured [Updated]

A family dog was killed in the fire Thursday afternoon, according to a fire official.

Update as of 3 p.m. on Jan. 2:

A Sandy Hook family escaped a house fire uninjured Thursday afternoon, but their dog did not make it out alive.

The fire, at 6 Thunder Ridge Road, started around 1 p.m., according to Sandy Hook Volunteer Department Fire Chief Bill Halstead. It appears to have started in the first floor of the two-story Ranch, he said.

The cause had not yet been determined as of 3 p.m. on Jan. 2, as firefighters were still working to ensure the fire was fully extinguished. Smoke was still billowing from the smashed out windows of the home as Halstead spoke.

He commended firefighters for their work to bring the blaze quickly under control, noting that they were doing so in temperatures of about 20 degrees. The ground was also covered in snow and ice, which made it difficult for firefighters to secure solid footing as they fought the fire.

"A day like today, as cold as it is, is tough on everybody," Halstead said.

The fire caused extensive damage to the home, which, according to Vision Appraisal, has been owned since 2009 by Michael Holroyd and Carla Seymer. Thunder Bridge Road is located off Berkshire Road (Route 34), near Great Ring.

Crews from all of Newtown's fire houses responded, either directly to the fire or to cover other areas of town, as well as firefighters from neighboring Monroe.

Our original report follows:

More than 30 firefighters are working to extinguish a fire at a residence on Thunder Ridge Road in Sandy Hook.

There is smoke showing and heavy damage to the two-story house. No word on any injuries.

Patch will update this article as more information becomes available.


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