Gold Street fire under investigation

NORWICH – A structure fire badly damaged a City of Norwich home early Sunday morning.

The occupants of the home escaped safely, but the house was heavily damaged before the fire was brought under control.

The fire began early Sunday morning at the house, located on 36 Gold St. A family of three was home at the time of the fire, but no one was injured. According to Fire Chief Tracy Chawgo, a neighbor who was leaving for work saw the flames and alerted the family. “If not for him, things could have gone a lot differently,” Chawgo said.

The City of Norwich Fire Department was dispatched at 4:30 a.m., and the first truck arrived at the scene approximately four minutes later. Firemen reported flames on the east side of the house. Chawgo reported that the fire department was able to get the fire under control within an hour, but the damage to the house was extensive as a result of the fire, smoke and heat.