FAIRFIELD, CT - On Sunday morning, April 2, at 5:17 AM, the Fairfield Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a car fire next to the gas pumps at 975 Kings Highway East, Cumberland Farms.
Fairfield Fire Department Engine 2, Engine 3, Engine 4, Engine 1, Rescue 1, Ladders 2 and Car 3 responded and arrived on scene at approximately 5:20. Upon arrival, the fire department found a car heavily involved and approximately fifty feet from the gas pumps. The gas station operator had activated the extinguishing system prior to the fire department arrival. The automatic extinguishing system did not extinguish the fire.
The fire department was able to keep the fire from extending to the gas pumps and extinguish the fire without incident or injury. The operator of the vehicle was on scene and said that while driving his car on the highway he had seen smoke and flames in the interior and pulled off the highway. Assistant Chief Sherwood shared, “The outcome of this incident would have been much worse if the car was closer to the pumps and was not extinguished as rapidly as it was."