Davenport Residence Fire
125 Putnam Avenue
Wednesday, May 25, 1988
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| New Haven Register, Thursday, May 26, 1988 - Courtesy of Mike Ambriscoe - CLICK TO ENLARGE |
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| CLICK to view Davenport Fire video |
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| The Hamden Fire Department was challenged to the max thirty years ago this week, when fire broke out in the first-floor library at the Davenport Residence at 125 Putnam Avenue, sending smoke throughout the eight story apartment building for the elderly.
CLICK on top photo to view a ten minute video that was produced by the department's training division. Amateur videos, TV news videoes, and actual HFD radio transmissions illustrate the extraordinary efforts put forth by Hamden's firefighters, as well as those of the Bethany, Cheshire, New Haven, and North Haven departments, from the time of dispatch until the fire was out and the building completely evacuated.
An effective incident command system, early calls for mutual aid, and the C-MED emergency medical disaster plan all dovetailed perfectly to avert what would have been a major tragedy.
CLICK on the lower photo to view several news stories that were provided by the WTNH-8 and WFSB-3 news departments. The video begins with a scene from the final episode of an iconic 1980s NBC television series that was being broadcast at the exact moment the Gamewell alarm was being transmitted from the scene. A few minutes later came the news bulletin during the 11 o'clock news on Channel 8.
Originally posted 5/24/10
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| CLICKI to view Davenport news stories |
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| BOX 293 - Located on the Clifford Street side of Davenport Residence |
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Below, a continuation of the above front page story featured John Mongillo Jr's photo of Capt. Bill Coppola leading one of many elderly residents that he and his crew had rescued during the mass evacuation of the smoke-filled Davenport Residence.
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Mutual aid came from New Haven, Bethany, North Haven, and Cheshire. In this photo, Chief John Tramontano directs the crew of New Haven's Truck 6, commanded by NHFD Lieut. Clyde Stewart, as it sets up in the parking area off Clifford Street.
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This image below was captured from a video made by the training division a few weeks after the fire, recreating the mutual aid response to the Davenport fire by New Haven's Truck 6. However, it is not the same Truck 6 pictured above at the Davenport Residence fire. When Truck 6 returned to quarters from Hamden on the morning of May 26, 1988, the old Seagrave ladder truck was permanently removed from service, the Davenport Residence being its final run. It was New Haven's last truck equipped with wooden ground ladders.
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| New Haven Fire Department's Truck 6, quartered with Engine 8 at Whitney Avenue and Bishop Street. |
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| The Hamden Chronicle, June 8, 1988 (Courtesy of Shirley Mangler) |
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| The Hartford Courant - Friday, May 27, 1988 - CLICK to enlarge |
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