Fire Guts Byram Home — Residents Escape Unharmed

An early morning fire has gutted a two-family Byram home, killing the dog of one of the two tenants left homeless, according to a Greenwich Fire Department official.

The fire at 56 W. Church St. was reported shortly before 4 a.m. Nov. 3 and when firefighters arrived "there was heavy fire on the first floor, coming out the windows and front door" of the two-family home, Deputy Fire Chief Tom Nixon said. Both tenants were exiting the home as the first fire crew arrived, Nixon said.

The tenants were reportedly alerted to the fire by a neighbor, according to Nixon. 

The second-floor tenant told firefighters a pet dog was still inside. "The crews got the fire knocked down enough at first-floor entry and they were able to go up and search second-floor apartment and found the dog," Nixon said.

"They performed CPR on the dog. Crews attempted for quite some time to revive the dog — it was a good effort on the part of firefighters and GEMS (Greenwich Emergency Medical Service)," Nixon said.  There was heavy heat and smoke damage to the second floor where the dog, believed to be a boxer, was found. The dog suffered from smoke inhalation, Nixon said.

There weren't any injuries to the tenants or firefighters, Nixon said.

Four engine crews, a ladder truck and the Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol responded to the fire. The Greenwich Chapter of the American Red Cross also responded to assist the tenants of the home which was declared uninhabitable by the Greenwich Building Department. There was heavy fire damage to the first floor and heavy heat and smoke damage to the second floor, according to Nixon.

At 7:15 a.m., investigators lead by Fire Marshal Jim MacDonald were still at the scene looking for the cause of the fire. "They are actively digging to find the point of origin" of the fire, Nixon said.

Greenwich Patch will update this story as more details become available.