| On October 21st, NFD Local 830 members Capt Mark Franzen and FF Colin Curran were honored at the Connecticut Exchange Club’s 2025 Firefighter of the Year Awards. Both members were recognized for their heroic actions that involved them rescuing occupants from a house fire on Forbell Drive in 2024 while operating with Truck Co. 1. A well deserved award! Congratulations brothers!
Local 830 City of Norwalk Firefighters responded to a structure fire on the evening of December 4th, at 17:35hrs.
The fire was located at 15 Forbell Dr.
Initial reports stated the home was filling with smoke and there was a wheelchair bound elderly resident who could not exit.
Upon arrival, the first arriving companies from the Broad River River Fire Station, Engine Co. 1 and Truck Co. 1 encountered heavy smoke coming from the front door with fire venting out of the kitchen windows at the rear of the structure.
The Captain of Truck 1, along with the Can-man from Truck 1, entered via the front door where they found two occupants unable to exit. One was lying on the floor, the other on a couch. Both were removed and brought outside to arriving Norwalk Hospital EMS units. Two other occupants had exited the residence prior to the fire departments arrival.
Simultaneously, a handline was stretched to the kitchen area by Engine 1 where firefighters encountered and extinguished a kitchen fire which was starting to extend to the front of the residence. Additional firefighters made their way to the 2nd floor to conduct a primary search while a backup handline was being stretched, the building laddered, and the residence ventilated.
The fire was extinguished in 30 minutes by a 1st alarm assignment consisting of 3 Engines, 2 Ladder Trucks, 1 Heavy Rescue, and a command vehicle for a total of 25 Norwalk Professional Firefighters.
A total of four occupants were displaced by the fire. All four were initially transported to Norwalk Hospital. Three with smoke inhalation, and one for an evaluation. Three occupants with smoke inhalation were later transferred to the Bridgeport Hospital Burn Unit for further treatment. |
