STAMFORD, Conn. — A large fire tore through an auto body shop in Stamford’s Shippan area Thursday night, requiring a two-alarm response and nearly 50 firefighters to bring it under control.
The Stamford Fire Department received a call at 8:55 p.m. reporting heavy smoke in the area of 87 Wardwell St. Engine 4 arrived within three minutes and discovered smoke appearing to originate from a block north. Other responding units diverted to Halloween Blvd, where they found an auto body shop engulfed in flames, with fire visible through the windows and heavy smoke pushing from the roofline.
Firefighters had to cut through fencing and metal garage doors to gain access to the structure. As crews advanced inside the building, the fire intensified and began burning through the roof, prompting the incident commander to strike a second alarm. A portion of the roof collapsed, forcing a shift to defensive operations. Two tower ladder master streams and three portable master streams were deployed to contain and extinguish the blaze.
The fire was brought under control in approximately two hours, with full extinguishment taking another hour. The Stamford Fire Marshal’s Office and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the cause, while fire crews remain on-site overnight to prevent reignition, particularly in areas affected by the roof collapse.
The response included six engine companies, two tower ladder companies, a rescue company, command units, safety officers, and additional fire department personnel. Stamford EMS and police also responded, and volunteer firefighters provided district coverage during the incident. No injuries were reported.
A fast-moving fire gutted a Stamford auto body shop, prompting a massive emergency response and a shift to defensive firefighting tactics after a roof collapse.