Four-Car Accident Starts Six-Call Streak in Two Hours for Branford Fire Department

Last night at 6:05 p.m., Branford Police report four people were injured in a four-car accident on West Main Street near . Branford Fire Department Deputy Chief Tom Mahoney said the victims sustained non-life threatening injuries. Branford Police state that three of the four motor vehicle operators were transported to area medical facilities. 

Police Officer Dominic Eula, who investigated the incident, determined that Domenico Iuliano, 21, of 80 Oregon Ave., East Haven, was traveling eastbound on West Main Street when his vehicle struck the rear of a vehicle driven by Amber Lewis, 25, of 2046 North Main St., Waterbury, who was stopped in eastbound traffic. After the collision, Iuliano’s vehicle veered into oncoming traffic in the left-hand, westbound lane and struck a vehicle head-on. The vehicle was operated by Michelle Padillo, 34, of 50 Quinnipiac Ave., New Haven. Padillo’s vehicle was pushed into the right hand lane, westbound traffic striking a vehicle operated by Fannie Hernandez, 38, of 389 Poplar St., New Haven. Iuliano, Padillo and Hernandez were injured.

As a result of the investigation, Iuliano was issued a traffic infraction for following too close.

The accident, though not severe, taxed the fire department as all three of their ambulances were sent to the scene plus one additional AMR ambulance was called in from New Haven to transport the victims. Normally, Mahoney said Branford has four in-house ambulances, two of which are staffed by firefighter/paramedics. One ambulance is currently out for preventative service.

After returning from this multiple vehicle accident, Mahoney said Branford Fire Department crews were again dispatched at 6:40 p.m. for a medical call to 189 Alps Rd. The AMR vehicle responded to this call, stated Mahoney.

Twenty-five minutes later at 7:05 another medical came in at 189 Alps Rd., for a different residence. Branford responded again.

Fifteen calls a day is the average for Branford Fire Department stated Mahoney, but as many as 26 calls can come in on one day and as few as 10; last night’s events proved that he said.

 “That’s how they come in,” said Mahoney. “They aren’t scheduled.”

Before their last two medical calls at 7:52 p.m. (500 East Main St.) and 8:02 p.m. (11 School Ground Rd.), the fire department responded to a potential fire at a residence at 7:36 p.m.

Crews arrived to 73 Rose Hill Rd., on the report of smoke. After investigation, Mahoney said they discovered the source of the smoke: a shorted-out exhaust fan in the wall above the stove.

The female resident of the home told firefighters that she left the house and could have accidentally turned the fan on, which was not working properly. Mahoney said the fan was trying to turn on but couldn’t and that’s why the smoke started.

“It was lucky that she came home when she did,” said Mahoney who added that her smoke detector had no batteries and did not activate.

Like many residents with smoke detectors near kitchens, said Mahoney, the victim in this case had removed the batteries from the detector prior to last night. Mahoney said that sensitive detectors near or in kitchens go off often so people take the batteries out. It’s suggested that residents place detectors in bedrooms and hallways and no directly in kitchens according to Mahoney.

The department issued new batteries to the resident and supplied her with a new dual detector that guards against fast fires like most kitchen blazes and smoldering fires that start slow. The department recommends these dual detectors for homes.

A busy night that began with a three-car crash and ended with a valuable cautionary tale for all residents kept the department on their toes. Being busy is part of his job said Mahoney, “People need to know it gets that way.”