Fred Baker

Firefighters Respond to Blaze on Ludlowe Road Late Saturday

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Firefighters late Saturday extinguished a blaze at an eastern New Canaan home that appears to have resulted from improperly disposed smoke materials. At about 10:50 p.m. on Nov. 10, members of the New Canaan Fire Department were dispatched to a reported structure fire at 102 Ludlowe Road, according to Fire Marshal Fred Baker. There, they found a small fire that had been extinguished by the homeowner, who had been alerted by smoke detectors, Baker said. No injuries were reported, he said.

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Resident Flees Electrical Fire, Underscoring Need for Improved Cell Coverage

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A woman in northeast New Canaan who had lost power and had no cell phone coverage on Saturday drove away from a suspected fire at her Bob Hill Lane house to find help from emergency responders, officials said. Fortunately, she came across New Canaan firefighters on nearby Laurel Road, where a tree had fallen on power lines, and told them about the emergency at her house. “Firefighters immediately radioed communications to dispatch for a structure fire and responded to the scene,” Fire Marshal Fred Baker said in a release. The first arriving units found a shorted surge protector. The suppressor strip itself was destroyed, according to Fire Chief Jack Hennessey, and fortunately the fire did not spread beyond it.

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New Canaan Fire Marshal: ‘Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries’

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“There is no greater tragedy than one that could have been prevented.” I cannot take credit for this statement—however, I could not agree more and the tragedy of home fires and the devastation they inflict is a perfect example. And when prevention is as easy as installing and maintaining smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, it becomes more important. 

This year daylight savings time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4. (Remember “Spring ahead – Fall back.”) 

In concert with the nationwide campaign “Change Your Clocks – Change Your Batteries,” the New Canaan Fire Department and the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s Office also want to remind everyone to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. By being proactive this also helps avoid that annoying “chirp” that inevitably starts at 2 in the morning.

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Firefighters Extinguish Blaze Involving Dehumidifier in Lakeview Avenue Basement Tuesday Evening

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Firefighters on Tuesday evening put out a small blaze in the basement of a Lakeview Avenue condominium that had created heavy smoke. At about 4:50 p.m., the New Canaan Fire Department was dispatched to 25 Lakeview Ave. on a report of the smoke and quickly extinguished a fire that involved a dehumidifier, according to Fire Marshal Fred Baker. The appliance was destroyed and the rest of the basement underwent “heavy smoke damage,” Baker said in a release. The rest of the home had light smoke damage, he said. 

No one was injured, and the homeowner made arrangements to stay with relatives for the night, according to Baker.

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New Canaan Fire Marshal: Facts on Natural Gas

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By now most are aware that Eversource is bringing natural gas to New Canaan, so I thought it was a good time to provide some basic information about “gas.” The following are some basic facts about natural gas:

Natural gas is a lighter than air gas, when released into the atmosphere it rises and dissipates. Propane is a heavier than air gas so it sinks when released. Both natural gas and propane have an odorant (ethyl mercaptan) added because in their natural states they are odorless, colorless and tasteless. That is the “rotten egg” odor we know as “gas.”
As with propane, natural gas may be used to feed multiple household appliances—for example, water heaters, stoves, pool heaters, fireplace logs, grills, furnaces, boilers and generators. 
Most propane equipment can be converted to use natural gas by licensed technicians.