After assessing initial reports, the West Hartford Fire Department (WHFD) has determined that it’s highly probable that the two fires that erupted at the Wampanoag Country Club over the weekend were not intentionally set.
The first blaze was reported on Saturday at around the same time as the second fire on Sunday. Both fires wreaked havoc, particularly the one on Sunday, which is thought to be a continuation of the first fire event.
A 911 call alerted dispatchers to the first fire at 60 Wampanoag Drive at 2:18 a.m. on Sunday. When firefighters arrived five minutes later, they encountered a raging inferno that had compromised the building’s integrity. To combat the rapidly spreading second-alarm fire, mutual aid was enlisted, and the bulk of the blaze was extinguished by 3:57 a.m.
A day prior, around the same hour, an employee of the club called 911 to report a fire at the loading dock area. The employee, the only person in the building at the time, managed to escape unharmed. Upon arrival, firefighters faced intense flames at the loading dock and the building’s east end. Smoke billowed from various points on the roof. Alarmingly, fire crews also discovered multiple 20-pound propane cylinders ablaze within a fenced area near a kitchen door.
Despite the severity of the fires, no injuries have been reported, and the investigating authorities do not perceive an ongoing threat to public safety. An initial probe suggests that the fires were not the result of arson. The investigation, aided by the Connecticut State Police’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit and the West Hartford Police Department’s Detective Division, seeks to determine the factors that allowed the fire to reignite after being extinguished.
The findings released thus far are preliminary and intended to keep the public informed and ensure transparency. West Hartford Fire Chief Greg Priest emphasized that a thorough investigation of each fire will take considerable time, as additional evidence needs to be evaluated before reaching final conclusions.
