Beacon Hose rescued 19 people and a dog from flood waters at the Brookside Inn Restaurant in Oxford and a nearby residence on Aug. 18.
Beacon Hose ambulances were responding to calls in Seymour and Oxford at about 5 p.m. The crew in BH-8 could not reach a medical call at the Spirits of 67 package store and instead staged near Brookside. While staging, BH-8 reported that the flood water was rising and there were concerns that the restaurant’s structure could be compromised with 18 people inside. Fire crews from Oxford were extraordinarily busy with emergencies throughout town, so Beacon Hose requested permission from Oxford fire officials to stage a rescue operation.
Truck 6 and Rescue 4 responded with Beacon Hose’s special operations trailer. Firefighters Cal Brennan and Christian Hotchkiss first reached the residence as the stick on Truck 6, operated by engineer Paul Brennan, breached the front window of the residence 86 feet away from where the truck was staged. Brennan and Hotchkiss helped evacuate the resident and her dog.
Next, a crew consisting of Brennan, Hotchkiss, and firefighters John Weid and Adam Daniels reached a cement patio at Brookside with Truck 6’s stick extended to its maximum reach of 107 feet. The crew performed a search of the building and found 18 people who had evacuated to the second and main floors of the restaurant. Firefighters assisted 17 people in walking up the aerial ladder, and luckily none of these people required medical attention. A final person was loaded into a Stokes basket and carried up the ladder to receive medical attention, but she was released after being checked out. The rescue operation was complete by 7:30 p.m. after 19 people and one dog were safely rescued.
During the operation, a large propane tank became dislodged from the building and began leaking, releasing propane that enveloped part of the building. There were also hazards in the rushing flood water, including vehicles and dumpsters. Nobody was injured as part of this rescue. Beacon Hose transported a number of people back to our headquarters using our department’s minibus to await pickup.
Beacon Hose’s crew consisted of Jeremy Rodorigo, who commanded the incident, and Cal Brennan, who ran operations. Firefighters on scene included Captain Kevin O’Connell, Engineer Paul Brennan, Christian Hotchkiss, John Weid, Adam Daniels, Adam Biggs, and Eric Battis. EMS personnel on scene included Chris Beson, Rob Swercewski, Lillian Wrigley, and Tom Mulinski. We are extraordinarily proud of all of our members who participated in this challenging incident.
Our hearts are with our neighbors who have suffered losses and damages from Sunday’s catastrophic flooding. There are many fundraising efforts in place to benefit those in Oxford in need — details are here. Many Beacon Hose members for generations have enjoyed memorable occasions with our friends at Brookside and we’re especially devastated for everyone there.
Our admiration goes out to our fellow first responders in Oxford, Seymour, Naugatuck, Southbury, and the surrounding areas who endured an incredibly long and challenging day Sunday. We’re fortunate in Beacon Falls to have suffered little damage.
Media Reports on the Brookside Rescue
“Firefighters rescued nearly 20 people from flooded restaurant in Oxford” by NBC Connecticut
“Beacon Hose Co. stages dramatic rescue of 19 people and 1 dog” by the Republican-American
“Beacon Falls firefighters saved 19 lives and a dog from restaurant during deadly flooding in Oxford” and “Two women dead after flood waters sweep them away in Oxford” by WFSB
“Firefighters rescued 19 people and dog in Oxford from rising floodwaters at Brookside Inn” by the Connecticut Post
“Beacon Falls firefighters rescue 19 people, dog from rising floodwaters in Oxford” by Yahoo News and WTNH
“Connecticut floods leave 2 dead and over 100 evacuated; state of emergency declared” by ABC News
“Floods from ‘training thunderstorms’ lead to dramatic rescues and 2 deaths in Connecticut” by the Associated Press
“Flash Flooding Strands People in Connecticut” by the New York Times
“Connecticut firefighters rescue 19 people, dog from swiftly rising floodwaters in Oxford” by FOX Weather
“Video From Oxford Flood Shows Heroism Of Valley Emergency Responders” by the Valley Independent Sentinel
WPLR’s Chaz and AJ also interviewed Beacon Hose’s Cal Brennan and Brookside’s Nicole Salva about the incident.
WICC’s Melissa in the Morning show interviewed Beacon Hose’s Jeremy Rodorigo about the incident.
Star 99.9 also interviewed Rodorigo about the incident.
In addition to responding to Oxford during Sunday’s flash floods, Beacon Hose was also busy in multiple other locations.
Engine 5 provided mutual aid into Naugatuck throughout the afternoon and made several water rescues of stranded motorists along North Main Street and Rubber Avenue before providing standby coverage as the Naugatuck Fire Department was tied up throughout the borough. We appreciate the help provided by the Watertown Fire Department and its boat on this assignment.
Beacon Hose also responded to a number of motor vehicle accidents on Route 8 on both Sunday and Monday, some of which were caused by water flowing off the mountainside and ponding on the highway between Exits 24 and 25. We also responded to a call of basement flooding at the Beacon Mill Village apartments and monitored Naugatuck River flooding near the mobile home parks on South Main Street. Thanks to the Bethany Volunteer Fire Department for sending an engine to provide mutual aid to cover us for a bit, including responding with us on one of the accidents.
