Vernon Community Responds to Brooklyn Street Fire
(VERNON, Connecticut) – Firefighters from Vernon and communities near and far battled a fire in a former textile mill at 114 Brooklyn Street in the Rockville section of Vernon early Monday.
The fire was reported shortly after 2 a.m. and first responders reported finding heavy fire. No injuries have been reported as of noon.
Several neighboring residents were evacuated from their homes during the fire. Rockville General Hospital, the American Red Cross and the Town of Vernon have provided a warming center where those residents can get something to eat and charge their phones and other devices.
“I am grateful to the first responders from throughout the region who helped fight the fire and staff our fire stations,” Mayor Dan Champagne said. “I also thank our neighbors at Rockville General Hospital for opening their doors to provide a warming center for people displaced by the fire. And thank you to the American Red Cross for staffing the warming center and attending to the needs of the neighborhood residents. Our community and our neighbors far and near have stepped up to help us through this massive fire.”
In addition to neighboring fire departments, volunteers from as far away as Wethersfield and Avon responded.
“The outpouring of support from our community and mutual aid partners was mission critical to supporting the quick and efficient response by the Vernon Fire and Police departments,” Town Administrator and Emergency and Risk Management Director Michael Purcaro said. “Once again, Vernon has shown what makes this community truly special – neighbors helping neighbors in times of need.”
Emergency response officials from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection have been on scene conducting environmental analysis. According to DEEP, numerous tests of ash and debris from the fire have tested negative for asbestos.
The Vernon Public Schools Nutrition Department prepared meals for the first responders who remain at the fire scene extinguishing flareups and overhauling the building.
The fire is under investigation by the Vernon Fire Marshal. The Vernon Fire Marshal’s office asks that anyone with information, especially video or images of the fire, to contact them at 860-870-3652.
The building at 114 Brooklyn Street is the Rockville Historic District and has had several owners over the years.
The building was constructed about 1890 and occupied by the James J. Regan Co., which manufactured textiles.
It was subsequently occupied by the National Printing Co., which produced greeting cards.
About 1955 the Tober Baseball Manufacturing Co. relocated to the building from Manchester. Tober closed in the early 1970s.
In 1971 the building was sold to Ladd & Hall Co., a furniture retailer in Rockville and used as a warehouse. Ladd & Hall closed in 2020.
In September 2021 the building was sold to 124 and 126 Broadway LLC.