Bethel Man Complains Of Burned-Out Auto, Debris In Dodgingtown

By Andrew Gorosko

A Bethel man is charging that Newtown has been lax in resolving his complaint about the presence of a burned-out automobile and a pile of old furniture and building materials on a Jacklin Road site in Dodgingtown.

In a letter submitted for publication in The Newtown Bee, David J. Richardson of Bethel charges that the burned-out Ford Crown Victoria and adjacent pile of debris pose an “unsightly mess.” That debris is on land owned by the Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company, lying about 100 yards west of its firehouse.

The firefighters set fire to the auto several weeks ago to practice extinguishing car fires.

Mr Richardson charged that burning an auto next to the stream that passes by the property poses a pollution hazard and health risk due to tainted water draining off the auto and entering the stream.

Contacted by telephone on Wednesday morning, Mr Richardson said volunteer firefighters do a great job in putting out fires, but their fire training is happening in a residential area.

Mr Richardson said he lives about three miles away in Bethel, but uses Jacklin Road for easy access to Route 302 in Dodgingtown.

Mr Richardson said he had complained to First Selectman Herb Rosenthal several weeks ago about the matter and was told the problem would be corrected promptly, but that it has not been resolved.

In his letter, Mr Richardson states that unless the problem is resolved, he would pursue a court order seeking to prevent the fire company from performing fire drills and from leaving debris on its property. The letter was addressed to Mr Rosenthal and submitted to The Bee for publication.

Dodgingtown Acting Fire Chief Peter Nielson said Wednesday afternoon that having firefighters burn autos on the site for fire drills does not pose pollution hazards to the nearby stream.

Some of the furniture on the site had been left there by the fire company, he said. Other debris that is present had been illegally dumped there by someone, he added. After that illegal dumping occurred, firefighters secured a gate at the property and posted a “No Trespassing” sign to prohibit illegal entry, Acting Chief Nielson said.

At midday on Wednesday, the burned-out Ford stood near an area splayed with old furniture and building materials. By 7 am on Thursday, someone had stacked the furniture and building materials in a pile.

Acting Chief Nielson said Dodgingtown firefighters must practice extinguishing car fires, as must other volunteer fire departments.

Mr Nielson said the fire company plans to remove the burned-out auto soon. The furniture and building materials also will be removed, he said. The fire company has had some unforeseen delays in getting the auto towed away from the site following the last fire drill, he said.

The acting fire chief added, however, the fire company plans to continue burning autos on the site in the future for firefighting practice.

“We have to train to be qualified…The [Richardson] letter is a smear,” Mr Nielson said.

Mr Rosenthal said Wednesday afternoon “I think the gentleman [Richardson] is being a little bit unreasonable.”

Mr Rosenthal said he would ensure that the site gets cleaned up. “It’s messy and they should clean it up,” he said.