Fire Leaves Bloomfield Family Homeless

A Bloomfield family was left homeless Monday after a fire erupted at their Charles Street home.

Nobody was injured and the blaze was quickly extinguished by Bloomfield firefighters, but it caused damage in the two-family building, Deputy Fire Chief Galioto said. “The fire is right now under investigation,” he said.

The first-floor window overlooking the street was blown out and there was clear fire damage to the front and side of the building.

Galioto described the blaze as a “second-alarm fire,” meaning that Bloomfield Fire Department called for assistance from nearby towns.

Carlos Bernard, who is running for Bloomfield Council on the Democratic ticket, was on the scene and pledged to seek help for the family, through the city agencies and the Red Cross.

“We have to make sure [the occupant of the house] is taken care of, especially with winter on the way,” said Bernard, noting the woman lived on the first floor and her family members, including children, lived on the second. “They need a helping hand, especially since there are small children involved.  That’s the bad thing.”

As the firefighters were clearing up, family members, some in tears, gathered outside with sympatheic neighbors. The occupant had gone back inside the house, said Bernard, trying to salvage what was left of her possessions.