Overheated Laptop Cause of Water Street Fire

The fire that destroyed a Water Street home and displaced two families was caused by an overheated laptop computer.

The computer had been placed overnight on a stack of cardboard to recharge, said Milford Fire Chief John Touhey, and apparently overheated. The cause of the fire: an overheated laptop in contact with combustible materials.

The 16-year-old girl who lived in the first floor apartment with her family told firefighters that she awoke to a fire in her bedroom, and based on her statements, this is where firefighters believe the fire originated, Touhey said.

The two-story structure at 24 Water Street was consumed by fire quickly but the occupants all escaped unharmed.

Three firefighters were treated for minor injuries, Touhey said, including a minor burn and two sprains.

including a woman and her dog on the second floor, and the family of six on the first floor, which included four children, ages 4 to 16. Everyone got out of the building. The father of the family was not at home at the time, because he was at work, Touhey said.

The house had functioning smoke detectors, Touhey said. The teenager told firefighters when she awoke she could hear the alarms, but that's not what woke her up.

The American Red Cross responded to the scene of the fire Wednesday, and was working with the families.

The building was being secured from intruders on Wednesday, and at some point will be razed. It is not in danger of collapsing. All of its utilities have been shut off.

Residents of two adjacent homes, who were evacuated during the fire, were allowed to return within hours. Those homes suffered damage to the vinyl siding, but are otherwise fine, the fire chief said.

When asked about the cause of the 24 Water St. fire, Touhey said some models of laptops have been subject to recall because they can overheat, but he said he was not sure if the girl's laptop was one of these. People should be careful with any electronic device, he said, and keep them clear of combustible materials, because of the possibility of overheating.