By Shannon Hicks & Andrew Gorosko

At 2:32 pm on Tuesday, firefighters received a report of a garage fire underway at 22 Little Brook Lane in Botsford, a one-acre property in a residential neighborhood.

The property is listed as the business address for Thomas M. Adams & Sons, a septic system cleaning and oil tank removal firm.

Volunteers from the Botsford, Newtown Hook & Ladder, Sandy Hook, Hawleyville, and Dodgingtown fire companies responded to the call. The fire occurred in the Botsford fire district. There were no injuries.

Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company Chief Bill Halstead served as incident commander.

Chief Halstead, who is the town fire marshal, investigated the cause of the accidental fire.

Chief Halstead said the fire apparently started after heavier-than-air gasoline vapors emanating from gasoline within plastic gasoline storage containers traveled across the floor within the repair garage and then ignited when a furnace's oil burner turned itself on during a heating cycle.

No one was inside the detached garage, which doors were closed when the fire started, Chief Halstead said. The structure and its contents are insured for loss, he said. Chief Halstead estimated that the fire caused more than $100,000 of property damage. The garage has some rooms adjacent to its two garage bays.

Thomas Adams, who lives at a house on the property, was getting the mail when he noticed smoke coming from the two-bay garage, after which firefighters were called, Chief Halstead said.

The garage contained two personal antique vehicles, a Ford pickup truck and a Ford Galaxie hardtop. Both vehicles received damaged in the incident, apparently from falling debris.

The first firefighter on the scene reported heavy gray smoke showing from the roofline of the building.

About 45 firefighters responded to the blaze. They used about 1,500 gallons of water to extinguish the fire.

Firefighters used two hose lines to knock down the blaze, which they had under control in about ten minutes, Chief Halstead said.

The garage was well separated from the house on the property and the fire did not spread to other structures there, he said.

The northern section of Little Brook Lane was closed to traffic while firefighters were on the scene. Residents of Hemlock Road, a dead-end street extending from Little Brook Lane, were unable to leave or return to their homes during the incident.

Botsford's Engine 551 was first on the scene, followed by a tanker and pumper from Sandy Hook. Additional vehicles were parked on the road, including trucks from Hawleyville and Hook & Ladder.

Dodgingtown was initially dispatched to the scene and sent firefighters, but the company's apparatus was held at the station.

Firefighters cut a hole in the garage's roof, checking for extension and dousing any hot spots.

Mr Adams spoke with Chief Halstead and some firefighters as they finished cleaning debris from the charred garage.

A representative from Eversource, the electric utility, went to the scene. All fire companies left the scene by 4 pm.

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