Heavy smoke and flames captured on video during Chester fire at Whispering Hills
According to the chief, the roof of the complex collapsed. There were no injuries to residents or firefighters.
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Newly obtained viewer video shows the heavy smoke and flames that destroyed several homes at Whispering Hills in the Town of Chester Tuesday.
Chester Fire Chief Tom Marchiano says six townhouse units were in the building fire and that two units were destroyed. He says four others were badly damaged.
News 12 was told no one was hurt and that everyone inside got out OK.
“The whole building, within 20 minutes or so, just went up in flames. It just happened way too fast,” says resident Anthony Belich. “I saw the flames coming out of the garage, before you know it, it spread.”
Evacuees were housed at the complex clubhouse and nearby senior center during fire suppression efforts involving 75 firefighters from several departments, according to officials. News 12 saw one evacuee without shoes on.
The Red Cross is helping people displaced, although it’s not clear how many people are affected.
A representative with the homeowner's association, Spinnaker Management, was unable to provide the exact number of residents displaced but said that reconstruction is expected to take a year.
Marchiano says the blaze started in the garage of unit 1421, but that the cause is still under investigation.
It is the second fire to damage several units at Whispering Hills. The first blaze destroyed another six-unit building across the street in 2019 after officials said there had been illegal construction.
Tuesday night's coverage of the fire
