Former Selectman Escapes Blaze That Damages Garages

Former Selectman Lin Lavery has nothing but praise for the Greenwich Fire Department which saved her home from the fire which destroyed the contents of an attached basement garage Sunday night.

"The Greenwich Fire Department was super. They completely contained the fire in the garage," Lavery said Monday. It was about 8:20 p.m. Sunday when the fire in the three-car garage of her 22 Alden Rd. home was discovered. They summoned the Greenwich Fire Department which arrived at the scene about 5 minutes later.

"(Her husband) Tracy, myself and my dog Lily were home," Lavery said. The trio escaped uninjured from the Tudor style home built in 1929, according to Greenwich land records. The Democrat, who served as a Greenwich selectman from 2007 to 2009, said, "Everything in the garage was destroyed, but we're fine. When you see that kind of thing happen, nothing else matters."

According to Deputy Greenwich Fire Chief Tom Nixon, about 30 professional and volunteer firefighters needed about 30 minutes to bring the fire under control. A firewatch crew remained at the scene throughout the night and part of Monday, as Fire Marshal Rob Natale investigated. "There's nothing suspicious" about the fire cause, although Nixon referred questions about the cause to Natale, who could not be reached for comment Monday.

"It was a 3-car attached garage at the basement level. There was heavy fire blowing out of the garage with 2 vehicles inside," Nixon said. Fire damage was contained to the garage, although there was smoke damage throughout the house, Nixon also said.

"They did an excellent job for just keeping (the fire) contained to the garage," Nixon said.

Lavery added, "They were fabulous."

In addition to the professional firefighters, volunteers from the Byram, Glenville and Cos Cob Fire departments, also responded, according to Nixon.