NORTH HAVEN — Chief Paul Januszewski and the North Haven Fire Department are providing an update on the tragic line-of-duty death of Firefighter Matthias Wirtz yesterday.
The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has released Firefighter Wirtz and his body will be escorted back to North Haven by a small contingent of North Haven Fire Department members. The procession will be leaving Farmington at approximately noon on Wednesday, Dec. 28 and will travel back to the North Haven Funeral Home.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the CT State Police Fire Investigation unit in cooperation with the North Haven Fire Marshal’s Office.
Funeral services are still being finalized and an announcement will be released as soon as possible once details are confirmed.
On behalf of the North Haven Fire Department, Chief Januszewski would like to thank our neighboring departments for the outpouring of support during this difficult time as well as providing honors along the route and fire station coverage.
On Monday, Dec. 26, at approximately 1:11 a.m., members of the North Haven Fire Department responded to a reported fire in a multiple-family residential building at 27 Quinnipiac Ave. Upon arrival, fire crews observed heavy smoke coming from the rear of the structure. North Haven Firefighter Matthias Wirtz collapsed outside of the building while operating at the fire scene. He was pronounced dead later in the morning at the hospital.
Media Contact: Deputy Chief Scott Bisson
Phone: 203-415-7954
Email: bisson.scott@northhaven-ct.gov
###