Brush Fire Extinguished Quickly

A local man, while on his way home from work Monday evening, happened to notice a small brush fire burning alongside Charter Ridge Road, so he another person took the initiative to put out the blaze before it could spread.

Resident Pete Callan of Russett Road was on his way home from work at his job as vice president of Westport National Bank about 6:30 pm, when he noticed a small brush fire burning alongside Charter Ridge Road, across the street from #53 Charter Ridge Road. No one was in the vicinity when he spotted the fire, Mr Callan said.

The fire occurred in an area where new home construction is underway in the Cider Mill Farm subdivision.

Mr Callan told a nearby resident to alert Sandy Hook firefighters of the blaze. Mr Callan and another unidentified person got some shovels and threw soil onto the fire to put it out, extinguishing the blaze in a matter of minutes. The fire covered an area of about 350 to 400 square feet. The fire was burning along a stone wall about 10 feet from the road’s curb.

Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead said the fire was out when firefighters arrived. Firefighters wet down the area that had been scorched by the blaze, he said. Conditions were very dry when the fire occurred.

It is unclear how the fire started, Chief Halstead said. The blaze did not pose fire hazards to buildings in the area, he added.