Cause Of Massive Bridgeport Industrial Fire Under Investigation
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The cause of a massive fire at a Bridgeport industrial complex that houses a perfume-recycling company was under investigation Friday as firefighters continue dousing hot spots.
The heavy smell of perfume lingered in the air over heaping mounds of smoldering and charred debris, CBS 2's Janelle Burrell reported.
"Companies will remain on the scene throughout the day working on hot spots," Deputy Chief Dominick Carfi said.
The fire broke out at around 7 p.m. Thursday at the Rowayton Trading Company warehouse on Seaview Avenue. Firefighters said helping to fuel the blaze was 55,000 gallons worth of perfume and chemicals stored inside the building.
"As the fire progressed, it came in contact with more and more and more of the drums," Carfi said.
"You just hear explosion after explosion. Boom, boom, boom all night," Bridgeport resident Anthony Campbell said.
Fishing Halted After Massive Bridgeport Industrial Fire
The flames were so powerful, witnesses said fireballs shot up 100 feet into the air. The fire devoured the building and the roofing company next to it.
"The fireballs and the heat were like nothing I have ever seen,'' Mayor Bill Finch said. "Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. There was no loss of life.''
Two firefighters were treated for minor injuries.
About 400 residents were evacuated out of concern that the fire could spread further. The heat from the flames was so intense, it caused the siding on homes across the street to melt off.
"They were saying all the houses might catch fire so I was thinking, 'let me get my dog' because my dog was in the house," Campbell told Burrell.
"It just happened so fast you couldn't believe it," added resident Cheryl Forman. "It was like something out of a movie."
Pollution from the fire prompted the temporary closure of fishing areas in Bridgeport Harbor and more than 20 miles of the Long Island Sound from Norwalk to Milford.
"We're also particularly concerned about the shellfish beds and other impacts on the sort of flora and fauna of the Long Island Sound," Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee told WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau. "So that's why there's such a large response of folks on site and we're going to remain there."
The U.S. Coast Guard said it would help enforce the shutdown and examine the extent of the problem.
Environmental officials said they found a large amount of red foam from a local waterway. Airborne chemicals from the factories also were a factor, but were minor, officials said.
"The DEP and EPA were in here to monitor the air quality and determine that it was safe to bring people back to their homes and respective neighborhoods," Carfi said.
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