Flatto Roast Rehearsal Empties Sullivan-Independence Hall Before Farewell Party

Town employees poured out of Sullivan-Independence Hall on Wednesday afternoon before a farewell party for First Selectman Ken Flatto.

But the farewell party in the Old Academy about 20 yards away wasn't the only reason about two dozen employees left. They had to when a fog machine used for a dress rehearsal of Flatto's May 5 roast set off a fire alarm in Sullivan-Independence Hall.

"It was part of a dress rehearsal, a dress rehearsal for the Flatto roast," Town Fiscal Officer Paul Hiller said of the reason for the fire alarm and evacuation. "We've got to test these things."

Hiller and Town Public Works Director Richard White, who's compiling material for Flatto's upcoming roast in the Patterson Club, were in White's first-floor office in Sullivan-Independence Hall about 3:30 p.m. when the fog, which White said consisted of water vapor, triggered the alarm. Firefighters arrived as employees waited outside the front and back entrances of the Old Post Road building.

Town Attorney Richard Saxl, who was on the second floor of Sullivan-Independence Hall at the time, said some employees thought it was Flatto's idea, to make sure employees attended his farewell party. "Several people accused Ken of getting people out of the building," he said.

White said he and Hiller had opened a window and had a fan blowing fog out the window during the dress rehearsal. White said different amounts of fog come out of the machine depending on how many times a button's pressed and said Hiller was an excessive button pusher.

Firefighters allowed employees back in Sullivan-Independence Hall after about 10 minutes.