Firefighters Extinguish Car Fire on Merritt Parkway

Fairfield firefighters extinguished a car fire on the Merritt Parkway late Friday afternoon after the motorist pulled over to the side of the parkway because the car's engine "began to run very rough."

The fire that engulfed the 2008 Nissan Altima was on the southbound side, between exits 44 and 42 and about a half-mile north of the Merwins Road overpass, according to the Fire Department's report.

No one was injuired and the car didn't have any passengers, said Assistant Fire Chief George Gomola, the incident commander.

Arriving firefighters found the Altima "heavily involved in fire" and the motorist, Ellis Gitlin of New City, N.Y., told firefighters that heavy black smoke poured from underneath the hood after he pulled over and got out of the car about 5:51 p.m., according to the report. Gitlin's age wasn't available, but firefighters said he appeared to be in his mid-50s.

Fairfield Fire Lt. Laurie Jepsen and the crew from Fire Station 5 in Fairfield's Greenfield Hill neighborhood extinguished the fire in about 20 minutes and were assisted by Westport firefighters, according to Gomola and the report.

Southbound traffic was reduced to a single lane for about an hour while firefighters extinguished the fire and stablilized the scene, according to the report.