Crime & Safety

Small Fire Quickly Extinguished at Community Health Center Building

In the wee hours of the night, a small fire was knocked down fast due to a timely call from the cleaning crew to emergency services.

 

While most of us were enjoying some zzzz's, a cleaning crew was on the job Oct. 24 at the Community Health Center in Clinton when they noticed smoke and a fire beginning in the ceiling vents of a bathroom.

According to Lt. Michael Neff of the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department, one fire officer and one police officer responded immediately to the call at 114 East Main Street and quickly extinguished the fire.

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The fire, which was called in around 1am by the cleaning staff, was initially categorized as a two-alarm fire. Crews from Old Saybrook, Westbrook and Killingworth also responded.

No patients or staff members of the facility were in the building at the time of the fire.

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Lt. Neff said it appears that the fire began in or around a fan device in the ceiling of one of the building's bathrooms. It is unclear if the device malfunctioned, said Neff. The fire will be investigated by the Clinton Fire Marshal's office.

There was some minor damage to the ceiling tiles, said Neff.

No one was hurt or injured, noted Neff. The cleaning crew was safe, and returned early the next morning to prepare the building for its regular day of visitors, patients and appointments.

The Community Health Center has been in the news recently due to the alleged misconduct of one of its doctors, Dr. Tory Westbrook, who has been arrested and is accused of sexual assault of more than one of his patients.


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