No Injuries in AM Washington St Fire

There were no injuries in an early-morning blaze Sunday that was quickly extinguished by Middletown firefighters at a Washington Street law firm. Damage is limited to the exterior of the two-story, woodframe building, according to Acting Battalion Chief Bill Drackenberg of Cross Street Fire.

"It was an outside fire that started in the area of the front porch. There was very little inside damage," Deputy Chief Kronenberger said. "Eight people were inside and all got out safely."

The call came in at 5:43 a.m. at 160 Washington Street, the former Beazley Realty multiuse building newly occupied by the . Middletown and Cross Street fire companies responded, with the assistant of South Fire District and Westfield, Drackenberg said.

"Nobody was displaced in the residential portion," of the building, he said, along Pearl Street. According to the Middletown Assessor's database, the building, built in 1850, is owned by S & M Properties LLC of Portland.

Assistant Fire Marshal Gary Gessaro will be investigating the cause.