Crime & Safety
VIDEO: Firefighters Knock Down Brush Fire Along Route 66
A fire official says the fire was likely caused by a cigarette being thrown out of a window.
Middletown firefighters moved quickly to knock down a brush fire along Route 66 Wednesday afternoon as temperatures hovered near 100 degrees.
The fire broke out in a grassy area along Washington Street, near the Middletown and Middlefield border, spreading to an area less than a quarter of an acre.
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"It just looks like somebody did some improper disposal of some smoking materials," said Middletown Battalion Chief Dave Anderson.
The fire was first reported at 12:57 p.m. and fire crews arrived in a matter of minutes.
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Firefighters relied on a tanker truck to battle the brush fire which charred areas on both sides of a fence. Because nearby hydrants weren't used, Anderson said, Route 66 remained open to traffic.
"You've got to be cautious, it doesn't take much for this stuff to go from this big to what we have here," Anderson said.
By 1:30, fire crews had left the scene of the brush fire.
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