By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A Connecticut firefighter executed a rapid bailout and reached a safe exit during a house fire after conditions deteriorated, authorities said.
• The incident occurred early Sunday at a multi-story home in New London during a reported structure fire.
• The firefighter exited through a first-floor window after losing visibility and finding no clear exit path.
• No serious injuries were reported, and fire officials credited training and quick decision-making.
NEW LONDON, CT — A Connecticut firefighter performed a rapid egress through a first-floor window during a house fire early Sunday after smoke conditions rapidly degraded and limited traditional exit routes, fire officials said.
Firefighters were dispatched about 2 a.m. to a reported structure fire at a multi-story residence in New London, where crews encountered heavy fire and smoke conditions on arrival, the department said.
During interior operations, one firefighter encountered deteriorating conditions that obscured visibility and blocked normal egress routes, prompting a mayday bailout through a first-floor window, officials reported.
The firefighter reached ground level without injury and resumed accountability with the incident commander, fire officials said. No other crews reported injuries during the operation.
Fire department leadership credited training and quick decision-making for the controlled bailout and said the incident remains under review to identify lessons learned.