Five People Escape Bank Street Fire

Five people escaped to safety this morning from a fire at a house on Bank Street.

In an interview on NBC-30 this morning, New London Fire Chief Ron Samul said that when firefighters arrived a little after 4 a.m., the flames had spread throughout the building. Firefighters fought the fire defensively, from a distance, he said, until they had battled it to a point where they could go in an look for hotspots.

The family was able to get out of the home safely, and the Red Cross has stepped in to help them.

Samul said the building appears to be a total loss, but that the insurance company and fire marshal will make that determination, perhaps later in the day.

He said it appeared that the fire started on the first floor, but that that won't be certain until the fire marshal does his investigation.