Category: Bridgeport

Westport House Fire

#Westport CT– At 9:18 this morning, Westport firefighters were dispatched to a reported structure fire in aresidence on Hunt Club Lane. The initial dispatch was for four Engines, one Truck and the
Shift Commander. Enroute to the call, responding units were advised that there were two
injured occupants that had already exited the house.
Car 3 arrived and found a two story single family home with heavy smoke coming from
three sides of the building on multiple floors with evidence of a possible explosion from
inside the house. Reports from the occupants indicated that the fire was in the basement
of the home. The first arriving Engine stretched a hose line through the house and into the
basement for fire extinguishment. Heavy smoke had extended throughout all floors of the
residence but the fire was contained to the basement. All visible fire was extinguished and
firefighters checked for fire extension. A second hose line was stretched and companies
performed searches on all floors to confirm all occupants were accounted for. Firefighters
discovered that fire had extended into the ceiling of the basement and was extinguished
quickly by firefighters in the basement. The building was ventilated and monitored for
carbon monoxide.
Westport PD and EMS responded and provided treatment and transport for the injured
occupants. Both occupants were transported to the hospital with unknown injuries.
Assistance from Wilton Fire, Fairfield Fire and Norwalk Fire allowed simultaneous calls to
be handled while Westport units were on scene at Hunt Club Lane. The last Westport Fire
Department unit cleared the scene at 1:30pm
The fire is currently under investigation by the Westport Fire Marshal’s office.

Ax Wielding Man Apprehended After Foot Pursuit

Fairfield Police UPDATE:

FAIRFIELD, CT – On April 16, 2024, at approximately 10:52 PM, the Fairfield Police Department
responded to a report of a suspicious individual at Hemlock Hardware, located at 1860 Post Road.
Officers arrived on the scene to find a male subject, later identified as Orlando Roper (DOB: 06/21/1988)
of New York, NY, behaving erratically.
Roper was observed behind his vehicle parked near an adjacent business, brandishing an axe. Despite
officers’ attempts to engage him peacefully, Roper made statements indicating his desire for Officers to
use deadly force in order to gain compliance.
Efforts to de-escalate the situation were made, but Roper fled on foot while still wielding the axe. Officers
engaged Roper in a foot pursuit across railroad tracks and eventually Interstate 95. Despite the
deployment of less-lethal measures, Roper persisted in his flight until he was eventually surrounded by
officers, dropping the axe without further resistance.
Orlando Roper was subsequently arrested and charged with Breach of Peace 2nd Degree (53a-181) and
Interfering with Officers (53a-167a).
“We are reminded of the inherent dangers and uncertainties our officers confront daily. However, we are

fortunate to have a team of dedicated professionals trained in employing less-lethal measures and de-
escalation tactics. Their swift and skillful actions resulted in the successful resolution of a situation that

could have tragically unfolded in a vastly different manner. We commend our officers for their
unwavering commitment to preserving life and ensuring the safety of our community.”
The Fairfield Police Department further extends its gratitude to our partner agencies, including the
Connecticut State Police and Westport Police Department, for their assistance.

2024-04-16@10:57pm–#Fairfield CT– Police have a perimeter set up on the Mill Plain Road area for a man with an ax. A business owner observed on his security cameras of man going behind the business. Police approached the man who was carrying an ax saying they’d have to shoot him. The pursuit went from the Post Road over the train tracks onto Mill Plain Road into the cemetery, then onto I-95, and now back on Mill Plain Road where they have him in custody. The trains and I-95 were both halted for a short time.

Sliver By The River

The city of Bridgeport received a federal grant to take what used to be the old train station and turn it into a water-accessible park open to the public. Sliver by the River is a 3-acre public site in Downtown Bridgeport that sits on the Pequannock River next to the Stratford Avenue Bridge. Council President Aidee Nieves said that there will be food trucks which means commerce and people coming to the downtown area. Mayor Ganim stated, “I would like to thank our partners at Trust for Public Land and Groundwork Bridgeport for helping us secure grant funding for the ORLP grant. I would also like to thank the National Park Service for awarding us the funding to help begin Phase I of this project. I’m excited to see what will come of Sliver by the River as I remain committed to creating more green spaces in our city and recapturing the waterfront. Our residents will have increased accessibility to spend more time outdoors and enjoy special characteristics that make Bridgeport the city that it is.” Out of the twelve states that have been awarded the grant, the City of Bridgeport is the only city to be awarded this grant in Connecticut. Sliver By The River’s website can be found here: https://www.sliverbytheriver.org/home

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