Soldier Battles East Norwalk Fire Before Firefighters Arrive

Two fires on Tuesday evening damaged buildings but neither injured anyone nor left residents without a home, said fire officials, who added that a U.S. Army soldier helped with one fire.

At 36 Van Zant St. in East Norwalk, where apartments and the Beijing Restaurant are located, an electrical service line to the building overheated at about 7:40 p.m. and set the wires' insulation on fire.

The fire spread to the restaurant's awning and then to the building's vinyl siding, according to Deputy Norwalk Fire Chief Edward Prescott.

"Fire Inspector Brodrick Sawyer [...] credits Army Specialist Harrison Arango for his help keeping the fire in check," Prescott wrote in a news release. "Specialist Arango was in the area and used an extinguisher from the restaurant to knock down the flames of the burning awning until fire crews arrived."

East Norwalk Electric utility crews shut off power to the building, and firefighters checked inside to find out whether the flames had spread, but they found the damage was limited to the outside of the structure. By 10:30 p.m., power was restored and all 25 residents were able to go back in to their apartments.

The other fire occurred earlier, just after 5 p.m., in the garage of County Construction, 258 Ely Ave. in South Norwalk.

The flames started in the engine compartment of a commercial pickup truck inside one of three garages at the business. The truck and some nearby construction equipment were damaged.

Firefighters put out the flames in 15 minutes, then remained at the scene until 7:15 p.m., according to Prescott.

Fire crews had to cut through the garage door to get access to the fire, he wrote. They roof was ventilated to relieve built-up heat and fire gases, Prescott wrote. "With some minor repairs and cleaning the company was able to remain open for business."