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HARTFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY’S DOWNTOWN LIBRARY CLOSED
This morning at 9:32 a.m., a report was received of smoke in the basement at Hartford Public Library’s (HPL) Downtown Library, 500 Main Street. Public safety teams were immediately dispatched to the scene. The incident resulted in a power outage at the Downtown Library and City Hall, 550 Main Street. No injuries have been reported at this time.
Upon arrival, responding units encountered heavy smoke and an active fire in an electrical unit. It was later determined that an Eversource transformer located in the basement had blown, sparking the fire.
"We’re incredibly grateful to our first responders for their swift and coordinated efforts,” said Bridget E. Quinn, HPL President and CEO. “I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated Library staff for their commitment to safety throughout this challenging situation. We continue to work closely with the City of Hartford, our public safety partners, and Eversource to monitor developments and ensure power is safely restored to all affected areas."
The Hartford Fire Department, Hartford Police Department, and Eversource worked swiftly and collaboratively to isolate the issue and contain the fire. The situation was brought under control at 10:43 a.m.
HPL, in collaboration with the City of Hartford, is investigating ways to reopen to the public as soon as possible.
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