Hartford Fire and Rescue responded to the report of an apartment building on fire on Evergreen Drive, on Saturday, October 17 at 1 a.m. in Hartford. Multiple Hartford Police officers arrived on the scene to find fire pushing out the front window of an apartment unit on the 1st floor. Officers quickly helped residents exit the building and attempted to search the 2nd floor, but were stopped by the thick black smoke. One officer utilized several fire extinguishers, spraying them through the front window in an attempt to slow the fire. Two officers went to the rear of the building, finding three occupants trapped on the 2nd floor balcony. Those occupants jumped from the smoke - filled building and were caught by the officers at the rear of the building.

The crew quickly deployed a preconnected hose line, briefly spraying water into the room that was on fire from the outside before entering the building. The growing fire was quickly located in the bedroom of the 1st floor apartment and extinguished. Hartford’s ladder truck arrived and laddered the roof to check for fire. Another crew checked for fire in the apartment unit above. Next arriving mutual aid engine crews provided assistance with extra personnel, searching the building, overhauling fire areas to assure no smoldering embers remained. A total of ten pets were successfully rescued from the apartment building.

A total of twelve occupants were displaced from the 8-unit apartment building due to smoke and fire damage. One occupant had minor injuries. Two Hartford police officers were evaluated at a hospital and released. No fire or EMS personnel were injured during this incident.

Assistance was provided by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Hartford Police Department. Mutual Aid was provided by the St. Lawrence Fire Compnay, Slinger Fire Department, Neosho, Richfield, Jackson and Lifestar EMS.

The Red Cross assisted, a temporary warming shelter was established in the City of Hartford’s City Hall.

Hartford Fire units remained on scene until 4 a.m. Fire investigators from Hartford Fire and Hartford Police remained on scene until noon.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Photo by the Hartford Fire and Rescue Department.