Garage on West Avon Road Destroyed by Fire

Victor Mitchell was working on a snow-blower equipped tractor in his garage Monday when he went into the house to add some wood to the fire. 

When he opened the house door to go back to the detached garage, he was saw it was engulfed in flames.

"The next thing you know everything's going," Mitchell said. 

Members of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department, with assistance from Tunxis Hose in Unionville, combated that garage fire at 645 West Avon Road for a little less than an hour Monday afternoon. 

The fire was reported at approximately noon.

"By the time we got there the structure was completely involved," Assistant Fire Chief Bruce Appell said.

The detached garage was set back from other structures, including the home, but firefighters took some defensive measures to fight the blaze and ensure it did not spread, Appell said.

Approximately 25 firefighters spent about an hour at the scene, he said. 

Appell said explosions reported on the scene were likely from propane tanks. A vehicle was also involved. 

"The garage was a total loss," Appell said. 

Mitchell is thankful no one was injured and praised the firefighters. He is a member of the Avon Department himself but acknowledges that at 92 his duties are limited. 

Mitchell said he is unsure of what caused the fire and said the tractor was not running when he went into the house. 

The cause remains under investigation, fire officials said.