VIDEOS/PHOTOS: A 35-year veteran of the Plainville Fire Department was fatally injured while at the scene of a house fire on Sunday morning. Emergency crews were called to a house fire on Maria Road around 6:20 a.m. Multiple fire units from the fire department quickly arrived on scene.
At one point, heavy flames could be seen coming from the home. The damage appears to be extensive. State police said 60-year-old volunteer firefighter Raymond “Ray” Moreau was working on scene and was standing outside the home near a fire apparatus when a piece of the fire truck broke free and hit Moreau.
According to state police, the piece of the fire truck caused catastrophic injuries to his legs. He was transported to the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain, where he died in surgery. Moreau was described as a 35-year veteran of the Plainville Fire Department, who has volunteered tens of thousands of hours to the community. In addition to being a volunteer firefighter, Moreau was a loving husband and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Governor Ned Lamont has directed all U.S. and state flags in Connecticut be lowered to half-staff in honor of firefighter Moreau. Flags should be lowered immediately and will remain lowered until sunset on the date of interment.
The family who lives at the home was able to escape from the fire and is currently being helped by the Red Cross. Both Moreau’s death and the cause of the house fire remain under investigation. The Connecticut State Police Major Crimes will be the primary investigating agency with help from the state police fire explosion investigative unit and collision analyst and reconstruction squad. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, and the state’s attorney’s office are also part of the investigation. The investigation is expected to be a lengthy process.
