Fire Destroys Basement of Lordship Road Home

The renovated basement of a Lordship Road home was destroyed in a fire that started at about noon today.

It began with "a big pop," said the owner of the 316 Lordship Road home, Cheryl Sosik, who believed the pop to come from a dehumidifier.

Sosik said after she heard the pop she opened the basement door and saw smoke coming from the renovated playroom. She said she told her 15-year-old son to exit the home with the 2-year-old child she was babysitting.

When she came back to the basement door with a fire extinguisher, the smoke had mushroomed and she could see sparks within the smog, Sosik said.

Then a fire ignited, and though it took the Stratford Fire Department only about 10 minutes to put out the flames after they were called to the scene at 12:20 p.m., all of the belongings in Sosik's basement were destroyed.

"Everything is destroyed," Lordship Road neighbor Laura Roberts told Sosik after talking to a Stratford firefighter.

"It was a playroom for the kids," said Sosik. "It had a pool table, video games, a TV ... "

Asst. Chief Lance Edwards said the fire was contained to the basement, and other than smoke damage, the rest of the house was not impaired. However, due to high carbon monoxide levels, the house was not immediately deemed inhabitable, he said.