Three firefighters were injured while battling a Meriden fire that displaced two families early Tuesday morning and have been taken to area hospitals.
Fire ripped through a multi-family home at 506 East Main Street in Meriden just before 1 a.m., charring windows and burning residents' belongings.
"All we could see is smoke black smoke coming from this side of the house," Joanne Neville, of Meriden, said.
Four adults and four children were able to safely escape from the burning home.
However, one firefighter was burned while fighting the blaze during a flashover when fire quickly surrounded him. He was brought to Bridgeport Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening first- and second-degree burns to several parts of his body.
"The temperature in a room or an area becomes so hot that everything in a room that can burn ignites," Steve Trella, a Meriden fire marshal, said.
One firefighter burned his ear. Officials said it is minor, but he is going to the hospital to be evaluated.
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Another firefighter injured his elbow. He went to the hospital when the pain got worse after the fire.
The fire is now out and the scene has cleared, but a lot of damage is visible from the outside of the home and crews.
Now, the residents will have to find another place to live because of the significant damage to the home, particularly in the bedroom on the right side of the home, where officials believe the fire might have started.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Be aware on your morning commute that fire trucks are still lining East Main Street.
